Advocacy in Action - Submission on the Design WA: Stage 2 Precinct Design and State Planning Policy 7.2

In providing feedback on the State Planning Policy 7.2 guidelines, the Committee acknowledged the policy’s alignment with the Committee’s advocacy for the state government’s subregional framework, Perth and Peel @ 3.5 million regarding density and the missing middle, yet they felt there were some gaps to address, including:

• The guidelines should consider the implications of additional infrastructure stress due to increased density and how infrastructure can be, instead, enhanced alongside the design of the overall precinct;
• The guidelines should consider the impacts on the public transport network as density and public transport are synergistic;
• Precinct planning should include all agencies from the outset so that the outcome is understood and agreed to by all;
• The guidelines should promote community inclusion and engagement so that community members can co-design the outcome and will be more likely to support change;
• Empowering the silent majority within the community who support development of the missing middle; and
  
• Acknowledging findings from the Committee’s report, What We Thought Would Kill Us: Learnings and Recommendations, which outlined that two common features of community backlash on projects are, a) lack of opportunities for community feedback beyond statutory requirements and b) only having the opportunity to give feedback after a draft design or concept has been prepared.

Once again we would like to thank the Department for allowing us to make a late submission.

The Committee’s full submission can be accessed here.

If you would like to know more about the Committee’s Reshaping Working Groups or would like to get involved, please contact our Research Officer, Hayley, at hayley.campbell@committeeforperth.com.au or call (08) 6163 2915.