Planning reforms a welcome step towards unlocking housing supply

As housing demand continues to grow, supply remains tight and affordability pressures are mounting. While the development industry is working hard to deliver the homes we need, further support is required to ensure industry can meet current and future housing demand.

That is why the latest tranche of planning reforms announced by Minister for Planning and Lands; Housing and Works John Carey at UDIA WA’s Red Tape Summit on July 28 were welcomed as another important step forward in streamlining housing delivery.

While the State Government has been working with stakeholders to remove blockages in the system, duplication, delayed decision-making and inconsistent referral processes still add unnecessary time, cost and uncertainty to the delivery of new housing.

Importantly, every additional delay in complex approvals processes can impact project feasibility due to time and cost blowouts and, ultimately, the capacity of buyers and renters to access homes meeting their needs.

From an industry perspective, the focus of these reforms is welcomed in terms of reducing unnecessary process barriers while maintaining the standards, safeguards and policy requirements that underpin good planning and housing outcomes.

The reforms include the introduction of concurrent region and local planning scheme amendments, as well as faster amendments of a region planning scheme when there is an approved District Structure Plan. This sounds technical but is an important way to streamline necessary processes without compromising quality of outcomes.

Enhanced oversight by the Western Australian Planning Commission to call in, modify or cancel structure plans as needed is also a key area of the reform package, providing a resolution pathway for when structure plans are not progressed by local government.

Streamlined agency referral processes, clarified escalation pathways, and clearer accountability and performance expectations across the planning system will also have a significant impact on getting housing to market faster.

Greater consistency and transparency will not only benefit industry but also the wider community. A more efficient planning system can help to bring land and housing to market sooner, supporting supply at a time when Western Australians are feeling the impact of limited choice and rising costs.

UDIA WA has consistently advocated for practical reform which recognises the realities of housing delivery, so the State Government’s continued focus on cutting red tape and improving certainty is encouraging.

WA needs a planning system that is responsive, accountable and capable of supporting the delivery of homes for a growing population, and these reforms are a positive step towards that goal.