Draft new Residential Development Local Planning Policy

The Residential Design Codes (R-Codes) is a State Government Planning Code that sets out planning and design provisions for residential development in Western Australia. The R-Codes provides information to do the following:

• Guide developers, urban planners, urban designers, architects, landscape architects, builders and other professionals when designing housing developments and preparing an application for development approval.
• Assist decision-makers and planning professionals in local and State government with the assessment of development proposals and in implementing strategic planning in the form of local policy and design guidance.

The R-Codes has two Volumes:

• Volume 1 – Applies to all residential development with the exception of multiple dwellings coded R80 and above.
• Volume 2 – Applies to multiple dwellings coded R80 and above.

Local planning policies set out development provisions which seek to achieve development outcomes which are unique to the local context. 

For residential development, R-Code provisions can be modified through a local planning policy prepared by a local government, however some provisions also require WAPC approval. 

The City currently has two main local planning policies which replace or modify development provisions within the R-Codes, these are: 

• The Residential Development Local Planning Policy (RDLPP), which includes development provisions which replace or modify R-Code provisions which apply to development outside of Housing Opportunity Areas (HOAs) and development inside HOAs at the lower (R20) density code.
• The Development in Housing Opportunity Areas Local Planning Policy (HOALPP), which includes development provisions which replace or modify R-Code provisions which apply to development inside HOAs at the higher applicable density code.

On 8 March 2024, the State Government released the current updated R-Codes Volume 1 which formally came into effect on 10 April 2024. The release of the new R-Codes includes a special transition period of 24 months, ending 10 April 2026, within which it is expected that local governments update their local planning frameworks to align with the new R-Codes Volume 1. At the end of the special transitional period, any local government framework instruments, such as the HOALPP and RDLPP, which have not been updated to align with the new R-Codes will cease to have effect.

As such a review of the HOALPP and RDLPP has been undertaken to ensure the City has an updated and approved policy before 10 April 2026.

The advertising period currently being undertaken forms part of the review process, allowing feedback for be provided on the draft new Residential Development Local Planning Policy.

The updated R-Codes introduced on 10 April 2024 now includes development provisions which apply and are designed for medium density developments. The R-Codes Volume 1 is now made up of four key parts: 

• Part A: Operation of the Code
• Part B: Applies to low density housing types
• Part C: Applies to medium density housing types
• Part D: Land provisions (subdivision requirements)

The new Residential Development Local Planning Policy will replace the current HOALPP and RDLPP and will provide development provisions for both developments inside and outside of HOAs at both the lower R20 density and the higher dual coded density within HOAs. 

The draft policy is structured in accordance with the updated R-Codes and applies provisions depending on the location, applicable density and development type. 

The review of the RDLPP and HOALPP considered: 

• where new or updated R-Code provisions now address an existing local planning policy provision, that provision is therefore no longer needed and can be removed from the policy
• the need to ensure consistency with the new R-Codes and the City’s polices while ensuring that appropriate development provisions are retained to ensure development outcomes are responsive to the City of Joondalup context and community expectations.

The HOALPP was originally developed to supplement the R-Codes by providing additional provisions for medium density developments including provisions such as tree planting, minimum landscaping areas, access to sunlight, ventilation and minimum room sizes. The updated R-Codes now includes provisions which address a number of these areas, and therefore these HOALPP provisions can be removed given similar R-Codes provisions now apply. Similarly, a number of provisions within the RDLPP have been reviewed in light of updated provisions in the R-Codes and can be removed as they are no longer relevant or considered to improve development outcomes.

A summary of key provision changes is available in the summary comparison table document accessible as part of this consultation, as well as which provisions require WAPC approval. More detailed provision comparison tables are available from the minutes of the report presented to the November 2024 Council meeting.

Feedback provided from this advertising period will be taken into consideration for a further round of review of the draft new Residential Development Local Planning Policy.

The updated R-Codes Volume 1 has a new structure which separates provisions into parts based on development type and residential coding. As such the draft new Residential Development Local Planning Policy has been updated to reflect this structure and therefore removes the need for two separate policies as is the current arrangement. The draft new Residential Development Local Planning Policy will include provisions to cover the application of both the RDLPP and HOALPP.

The process of involved with the development of a new Local Planning Policy is outlined in the updated R-Codes. The below excerpt outlines the broad process for the preparation, review and approval of a new local planning policy.

A local government can modify certain provisions of the R-Codes without requiring final approval of the provision by the Western Australian Planning Commission (WAPC). All other provisions are required to be approved by the WAPC before the local planning policy can be endorsed by Council and take effect. 

Provisions included within the new draft Residential Development Local Planning Policy which require WAPC approval are related to the following elements of the R-Codes:

• Parts B and C – Outdoor living areas/Private open space
• Parts B and C – Landscaping
• Parts B and C – Solar access for adjoining sites
• Part C – Access (sightlines)
• Part C – Parking
• Part C – Building height

Following the conclusion of the advertising period, the draft local planning policy will be reviewed in relation to the submissions received and presented to a future Council meeting to consider the policy and consultation outcomes and decide whether to endorse the draft policy to progress to the WAPC for review and determination of the policy provisions that require its approval.

The City is currently undertaking a review of its Local Planning Strategy. This project will review what housing is needed to meet community need and where different housing densities should be located across the City as well as looking at the types of policy required to manage the development outcomes.

The policy review which is the subject of this consultation is being undertaken in response to the State Government releasing the updated R-Codes Volume 1. The outcome of this will align the City’s residential development framework with the new R-Codes before the conclusion of the special transition period on 10 April 2026. This is a separate process to the review of the Local Planning Strategy.

The Local Planning Strategy review will provide an additional opportunity for a review of the City’s local planning framework based on the outcomes of consultation and technical work being undertaken as part of that project. More information on the review of the Local Planning Strategy can be accessed on the project webpage.