Western Australia’s planning system is facing another wave of reform, with the Cook Government opening consultation on the Planning and Development Amendment Regulations (Review of Planning Instruments) 2025.
The proposed changes aim to standardise how both State and local planning instruments are reviewed and updated.
The Amendment Regulations will embed a 10-year statutory review cycle into the Planning and Development Act 2005, replacing the current five-year requirement.
This change responds to stakeholder concerns that five-yearly reviews were impractical given the increased complexity of local planning frameworks.
At the State level, the reform mandates decennial reviews of all State Planning Policies (SPPs), Planning Codes, Region Schemes, Improvement Plans, and other Commission-prepared strategies.
These instruments will now be updated through three amendment streams (basic, standard, and substantial) ensuring responsiveness to evolving trends, technologies and policy needs.
Local governments will also face new obligations.
Local planning schemes, strategies, structure plans, and development plans must now undergo a review every 10 years, with required consideration of their operation and effectiveness.
The outcome must be justified in a Report of Review and include an implementation timeline. These reports will be assessed by the WA Planning Commission, which may escalate actions to the Planning Minister if warranted.
Local Planning Policies (LPPs) will see tightened parameters.
A maximum five-year effective period will now apply, after which a policy must be reviewed or revoked. LPPs must also follow a standardised manner and form approved by the WAPC. The reforms clarify that LPPs exist solely to guide planning decisions under local schemes and cannot be used for unrelated policy matters.
Proposed amendments also grant local governments expanded powers to revoke Local Development Plans (LDPs), including when a new plan is adopted over the same area, the original plan has served its purpose, or a scheme amendment renders it obsolete.
In support of these reforms, new draft chapters of the WA Planning Manual have been released, offering guidance and templates for preparing, reviewing and amending planning instruments. These documents consolidate existing planning procedures into a single source and will further formalise the streamlined review process.
“The review of State and local planning instruments aims to ensure planning frameworks are efficient, streamlined and are best placed to support Western Australia’s growing population,” said Planning and Lands Minister John Carey.
Submissions are open until 3 October 2025.
More details are available here.
