About the WAPC

The Western Australian Planning Commission (WAPC) has state-wide responsibility for urban, rural and regional integrated strategic and statutory land use planning and land development. Its functions and authority to undertake and regulate land use planning and development is established under the Planning and Development Act 2005.

The WAPC operates with the support of the Department of Planning, Lands and Heritage which provides professional and technical expertise, administrative services and corporate resources to assist its decision-making. Some WAPC functions such as decisions on subdivision and development applications are also delegated to the Department.

The WAPC’s responsibilities include:

• advising the Minister for Planning on strategic land use planning and land development, legislation reform and local planning schemes 
• making statutory decisions on a range of planning application types 
• implementing the State Planning Strategy to provide a vision for the future development of Western Australia 
• developing integrated land use planning strategies for the coordinated provision of transport and infrastructure for land development
• preparing and reviewing region schemes to cater for anticipated growth 
• monitoring and forecasting land supply throughout the State and developing strategies for the timely supply of affordable residential land 
• researching and developing planning methods and models relating to land use planning, land development and associated matters 
• acquiring land for public requirement reservations in region planning schemes and negotiating compensation for affected landowners
• In June 2020, amendments were made to the Planning and Development Act 2005 to assist with the State’s economic recovery from the COVID-19 pandemic by creating a contemporary and modern approach to planning. As part of these changes, the WAPC became a decision-maker for development proposals of State or regional significance for the next 18 months. The WAPC is supported in this new role by the State Development Assessment Unit (link) within the Department of Planning, Lands and Heritage.

WAPC useful publications

Newsletter

View current and past editions of the WAPC newsletter.

• February 2020
• December 2019
• October 2019
• September 2019
• August 2019
• July 2019
• June 2019
• May 2019
• April 2019
• March 2019

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