Directions Paper - Western Australian Planning Commission

Directions Paper on the Integration of NRM and Land Use Planningbeing over 20 years old. In the meantime, alocal government can amend their schemethrough either a textual amendment or a changein the zoning of land subject to the proposalbeing consistent with the direction provided forwithin the local planning strategy. This processinvolves an initiation of a scheme amendment bythe local government, assessment by the EPAunder s48 of the EP Act 1986, a 42 day publicadvertising period, and approval by the Ministerfor Planning and Infrastructure. The processinvolved with amending a scheme is describedin the WAPC publication ‘An introduction to theWA planning system’.Together, the local planning strategy and thelocal planning scheme provide the means forcontrolling land use and development at thelocal level.5.3.1 Current Level of GuidanceCurrently the WAPC provides formal guidanceon the development and preparation of localplanning strategies and schemes through thePlanning Schemes Manual as well as through it’ssuite of State Planning Policies.The EPA also provides guidance on how toaddress environmental issues in broad scaleplanning (which includes local planningstrategies and schemes) through its GuidanceStatement No. 33. A summary of the guidanceprovided by the EPA is given below.In addition to the formal publications providingassistance to local governments in thepreparation of local planning schemes andstrategies, officers within DPI, responsible for theassessment of strategies and schemes, provideongoing support to local governments. Thisincludes advice on the process of preparing alocal planning strategy, consultation methods,implications of state and regional policy, andidentification of key issues relevant to the localgovernment area.Planning Schemes ManualThe Planning Schemes Manual produced by theWAPC, provides guidance for local governmentson the preparation of local planning strategiesand schemes. It incorporates the Model SchemeText as prescribed by the Town PlanningAmendment Regulations 1999, explanatoryguidelines on the Model Scheme Text, guidanceon the format of local planning strategies and auser’s guide to local planning schemes.The Model Scheme Text was developed in orderto promote greater consistency in the basic legaland administrative provisions of local planningschemes across Local Governments whilstallowing flexibility in the strategic and planningcontent of schemes. Local Governments arerequired to follow the structure provided withinthe Model Scheme Text when preparing anew scheme. The guidelines associated withthe model scheme text provide explanatoryinformation on how the scheme can be used toaddress the particular requirements of differentlocal governments.Currently, standard provisions relating to NRMmatters are limited to the consideration ofenvironmental conditions as set by the EPAfollowing an assessment of a scheme or schemeamendment, definitions, and informationrequirements for planning approvals. Thisincludes vegetation plans and any specialistenvironmental studies that may be required bythe local government to consider an application.As mentioned above, the Model Scheme Textwas designed to standardise basic legal andadministrative provisions whilst allowing flexibilityin local planning schemes. The lack of NRMrelated standard provisions within the ModelScheme Text does not preclude local planningschemes from addressing NRM, rather itprovides the flexibility for each local governmentto tailor the scheme to their situation, allowing forthe regional differences across the State.There may be opportunity for NRM relatedprovisions that are likely to be consistent acrossthe State to be included within the ModelScheme Text, such as provisions relating to41