DevelopmentWA is the State Government's central development agency operating across Western Australia with a diverse portfolio of industrial, commercial and residential projects. It was launched in 2019 as a result of the merger of the Metropolitan Redevelopment Authority and LandCorp. We are responsible for developing and administering the planning framework including Redevelopment Schemes, Development Policies and Design Guidelines and assessing and determining Development Applications.

Transfer of Planning Authority is the process by which land is subtracted from a development area and planning control for that land is returned to the Western Australian Planning Commission and relevant local governments jurisdiction. This includes strategic and statutory planning and asset management.

Following transfer of planning authority, DevelopmentWA will no longer be the Redevelopment Authority for the area, as defined under the Metropolitan Redevelopment Authority Act 2011.

Following the State Government's Machinery of Government review, a number of Land Agency Reforms have been implemented to provide greater efficiencies and strengthen the Government's ability to deliver priority projects such as METRONET. As a result, a number of legacy projects have been prioritised for completion.

DevelopmentWA's role as a Redevelopment Authority, under the powers of the Metropolitan Redevelopment Authority Act 2011, is to act as a transitory authority responsible for the delivery of specific projects objectives and outcomes. Once project objectives are delivered planning responsibility is returned to the relevant local government.

Following the State Government's Machinery of Government review, a number of Land Agency Reforms have been implemented to provide greater efficiencies and strengthen the Government's ability to deliver priority projects such as METRONET. As a result, a number of legacy projects have been prioritised for completion.

DevelopmentWA's role as a Redevelopment Authority, under the powers of the Metropolitan Redevelopment Authority Act 2011, is to act as a transitory authority responsible for the delivery of specific projects objectives and outcomes. Once project objectives are delivered planning responsibility is returned to the relevant local government.

Transfer of Planning Authority will see the alignment of the local government planning framework with the Redevelopment Authority's framework and transfer of other statutory planning documents as required, meaning planning authority will be returned to the applicable local government and Western Australian Planning Commission  (WAPC).

Following completion of the transfer of planning authority process, all planning applications will need to be lodged with the applicable local government or in the case of reserved land the WAPC. The Redevelopment Authority, will no longer play any role in processing planning applications for land in these areas.

Transfer of planning authority will not affect residents unless they plan to make modifications to their property in the future, in which case a planning application would be lodged with the applicable local government instead of DevelopmentWA.

Transfer of planning authority will not affect businesses unless they plan to make modifications to their property or seek approval for a change of use in the future, in which case a planning application would be lodged with the applicable local government instead of DevelopmentWA.

Projects already commenced will not be affected by transfer of planning authority. They will need to be completed in accordance with the planning approvals already issued.

Once transfer of planning authority occurs planning applications for new development projects will need to be lodged with the applicable local government.

All development approvals issued by DevelopmentWA under the provisions of the Metropolitan Redevelopment Authority Act 2011 remain valid approvals and are not impacted by transfer of planning authority. Applicants have the right to development in accordance with any current and valid development approval issued by DevelopmentWA.

Any development application which has been lodged and formally received by DevelopmentWA prior to transfer of planning authority but not yet determined will remain with DevelopmentWA for final determination. These development applications will be assessed against the redevelopment planning framework applicable at the time the application was formally received.

Applicants who require conditions clearance after transfer of planning authority are to formally lodge a request with the applicable local government. Following transfer of planning authority, the applicable local government is the ultimate clearance agency for any outstanding conditions.

DevelopmentWA is available to provide technical support and advice on these applications but does not have a formal role in the clearance process following transfer of planning authority.

Any future compliance issues, including compliance which directly relates to approvals issued by DevelopmentWA, will be managed by the applicable local government. DevelopmentWA is available to provide technical support and advice on these matters but does not have a formal role in compliance following project handover.

These services will not be affected. Rubbish collection, maintenance of public areas and other services will continue to be provided by the applicable local government, in the same way it has been during the redevelopment project.

Following transfer of planning authority, everything to do with planning approvals will be the responsibility of the applicable local government. The local government already has responsibility for issuing building permits, sign licenses and demolition licenses.

• Application Form (Applicant and/or Landowner details)
• Certificate of Title
• Cover letter detailing proposal
• Planning Assessment providing justification against the planning requirements
• Site Plan (to scale and include natural ground level)
• Development floor plans and elevations (to scale)
• Technical reports - addressing any specific requirements relevant to the site including but not limited to:
  • Traffic
  • Noise
  • Environmental management
  • Heritage (European or Aboriginal)

Visit our Development Application Process page for a step by step look at submitting a development application.

Visit our Planning Documents page for design guidelines, policies, schemes and other documents.

Development applications are assessed by our Planning Team against the statutory planning framework, including the redevelopment scheme, development policies and design guidelines.
Applications are also referred to the relevant local and state government agencies for consideration and comment.
New buildings (except for single houses) are also considered by a Design Review Panel. The panel provides independent advice on whether the proposal meets the design guidelines.
Standard development applications are required to be assessed within 90 days or 120 days for major applications. These timeframes may be extended if the applicant needs additional time to prepare revised plans.
The value of the development determines who is the final decision maker on the application. The decision maker – or delegated authority - may be our Planning Team, the Land Redevelopment Committee (LRC), the Board or the Minister for Planning.

Application fees vary between developments; use our Fee Schedule to estimate the amount payable.

We have a Land Redevelopment Committee (LRC) for each of our redevelopment areas to enable community and local government experts to be involved in the development and delivery of our urban renewal projects.
The committee members have a range of experience in local government, planning and urban renewal and demonstrate a strong understanding of local community needs.
Our LRCs are scheduled to meet on a monthly basis to provide determinations or recommendations to our Board on developments over a certain value.

Our Land Redevelopment Committee (LRC) members have a range of experience in local government, planning and urban renewal and demonstrate a strong understanding of local community needs.
You can find a list of current members and their profiles on our Land Redevelopment Committees page.

You are welcome to speak briefly at the start of a Land Redevelopment Committee (LRC) meeting if you submitted a public comment during the consultation period for a development application. 
Our team will contact all submitters a minimum of five days prior to an LRC meeting with specific details of how to register.
Some things to be aware of:

• Registrations are required no later than 5pm on Tuesday prior to the meeting. 
• Each speaker is limited to five minutes.
• You may address the subject development application, but not other non-planning related matters.
• Meetings will take place in a CBD location which will be confirmed prior. There may be occasions where alternative locations are required. 
• LRC meetings generally take place during standard business hours.
• Allow up to an hour of your time for an LRC meeting. We do our best to make sure they run on time; however this cannot be guaranteed.
• You can only attend if registered to speak at the meeting. 
• Committee deliberations are not public discussions.

Land Redevelopment Committee (LRC) meetings are scheduled on the first Monday of each month. If this falls on a public holiday the meeting will take place on the first Wednesday of the month instead.
Meeting dates are subject to LRC member availability.

Our LRC members are not to be approached or lobbied with regards to development applications and other planning items.

Public comment is your opportunity to have your say on applicable development applications and statutory planning items.
Our redevelopment schemes set out which development applications are advertised for public comment. An application would be advertised if it proposes a significant variation to the planning framework for example.
Not all development applications are publicly advertised for comment.
Draft statutory planning documents, such as development policies or design guidelines, are also advertised for public comment.
Submitted comments are used by our Planning Team when assessing a planning item.

Visit our Current Planning Items page to find items open for comment.
Advertised development applications are open for comment for 21 days and statutory planning documents comment periods vary.
We may also advertise in the newspaper and notify locals and relevant stakeholders by mail.

Our redevelopment schemes govern the length of time an item is open for public comment.

• Development applications - 21 days
• New statutory planning documents - 42 days
• New redevelopment schemes - 60 days
• Amended statutory planning documents - 21 days

Your comment should address the following:

• If you support or object to the proposal
• Comments on a development application should focus on the proposed variations that are being advertised for comment (such as proposed height variations)

We recommend reviewing the relevant redevelopment scheme, development policies and design guidelines when formulating your comment about a development application.

We contact everyone who submitted a public comment once an outcome is available.

Results are published on our Current Planning Items page for up to 21 days.

You will be able to view development plans or draft statutory documents during the public comment period on our website or at our office.
For development applications, you can access officer reports, plans and other supporting documents online a week before the LRC meeting it is being considered at.