FAQ
What is a scheme amendment?
Every local government in Western Australia has a local planning scheme to govern the use and development of land to support current and future community needs.
From time to time, it is necessary to make changes to the local planning scheme in order to bring it in line with strategic objectives, new state government legislation and policies, or the community’s changing needs. These changes are called scheme amendments. Scheme amendments allow the City to improve the function of the planning scheme and respond to changes in particular areas.
Changes or updates to the planning scheme can include:
• Changes to the way land can be used, such as changing land from a business zone to a residential zone. This is called rezoning.
• Changes to the rules in the scheme that control how land can be developed, such as the height of buildings or where buildings can be located.
What is the scheme amendment process?
Once initiated, all amendments must be advertised for public comment. Community consultation is an essential part of the scheme amemendment process, and prescribed by planning regulations. If the proposed amendment is complex, we may engage more broadly than what's required by the plahnning regulations, which is to simply advertise for public comment. This is so we can better understand the impact of the proposed changes on the community.
We encourage everyone who may be affected by a proposed scheme amendment to provide feedback. Diverse views strengthen the process, and improve the outcomes and the quality of council’s decisions.
After the advertising period, council will consider the public submissions and decide whether the draft amendment should be approved as advertised, or approved with some changes, or not approved at all. If approved by council, the amendment is then sent to the Western Australian Planning Commission and Minister for Planning, for the final decision to be made.
The City’s friendly strategic planners are happy to help with any questions or enquiries about the amendment over the phone on 9432 9999 or by email planning@fremantle.wa.gov.au
What's the Davis Park Precinct Scheme Amendment about?
The Davis Park precinct bounded by South Street, Caesar St, Fifth Avenue and Lefroy Road is currently zoned ‘residential. The amendment proposes the precinct be rezoned to ‘development zone.’
Development zone effectively ‘clears the slate’ on the current planning rules (residential zoning) and allows for a structure plan process to be carried out for the area.
What is a structure plan?
A structure plan identifies how land is intended to be developed to guide council when it considers subdivision and development proposals in the area as a whole. The document consists of maps and text and shows details such as where housing, roads and public open space will go as well as any community facilities and commercial areas (if applicable).
The Davis Park Precinct Structure Plan will be designed with further input from the community and the process will explore how a greater variety of housing and possible other uses might fit into the area. It will also consider how future development might look. Community input will help to plan for such things as street layouts and landscaping all of which need to be decided before any development can occur. The overall vision and masterplan for the Heart of Beaconsfield will also help to guide the future Davis Park Structure Plan.
When will the Davis Park Precinct Structure Plan be completed?
The structure plan process can proceed as soon as the scheme amendment is completed. If the scheme amendment is approved late 2017, the structure plan process is expected to commence in 2018.
Will the structure plan propose more public housing?
Whilst the Housing Authority anticipates that a proportion of social housing stock would remain in the area, it is not anticipated that this would be no more than 11% of total dwellings in the redeveloped precinct. This would align with recent developments the Housing Authority has undertaken across Western Australia.
The Housing Authority considers that redevelopment in this location could capitalise on the area’s proximity to South Street, which is an important public transport corridor, and the local centre adjoining the north-east corner of the area. Redevelopment of the area, including opportunities for increased residential densities close to South Street, would be consistent with the Western Australian Planning Commission’s draft Central Sub-Regional Framework and other key state government strategic planning documents.
I live in the Davis Park precinct. What does this mean for me?
The Housing Authority has confirmed that once all the planning has been completed in the coming years, it is likely that social housing tenants will be required to relocate to enable redevelopment of the Davis Park precinct. Housing Authority will work closely with all tenants to relocate them into a home that is appropriate to their needs. If you have any questions on this matter, some of them may be answered in this booklet or you can contact Jacquie Smith at the Housing Authority's Fremantle office on 9432 5392.
All private landowners within the Davis Park precinct will have the opportunity to have a say and be involved in shaping the vision and future revitalisation of the area. For more information about new development by the Housing Authority in the Davis Park precinct contact Daniel Ballard on 9222 4869 or email daniel.ballard@housing.wa.gov.au.