What is a Structure Plan/Activity Centre Plan?

    A Structure Plan is a planning document which guides future land use and development for an area, and is one of the first steps in the development of new urban areas.

    A Structure Plan can show details such as housing density, road networks, areas of public open space and commercial areas. A Structure Plan indicates the way in which an area is to be developed and provides a framework to guide Council when it considers subdivision and development proposals.

    An Activity Centre Plan guides the types of land uses and the overall development (including built form) that is intended to occur within the activity centre. The process for adopting an Activity Centre Plan essentially follows that of a Structure Plan.


    Who can prepare a Structure Plan?

    The City or the owner of land may prepare and submit a Structure Plan.

    Why has the Council decided to advertise this Structure Plan?

    The City must advertise a Structure Plan containing all the associated information required, in accordance with the Planning and Development (Local Planning Schemes) Regulations 2015, as part of the overall assessment and determination process.

    What can you do if you want to comment on the proposed Structure Plan?

    If you want to provide comments on the Structure Plan, you can do this by lodging a written submission, giving the reasons for your views on the Structure Plan. The City must receive your submission by close of business of the advertised date. You can email your comments to the City at city@busselton.wa.gov.au or write to the City at: City of BusseltonLocked Bag 1 Busselton  WA  6280 Please be sure to include the relevant reference number. 

    What comments can you make?

    Council must consider the planning merits of the proposal and the planning issues that have been raised in the submissions received. The City asks that comments be limited to those directly related to the planning merits or impacts of the proposed Structure Plan.

    Matters that cannot be considered valid planning reasons for objecting to a proposal include:

    ·  Perceived loss of property value

    ·  Private disputes between neighbours including access & egress and easements

    ·  Impact of construction work

    ·  Trade competition concerns (in most circumstances)

    ·  Matters that is controlled under other legislation

    How is a Structure Plan processed?

    A proposed Structure Plan will generally contain a number of technical documents that need to show that the area is capable of being developed. The Structure Plan documents may relate to matters such as traffic movements, environmental considerations and a retail impact assessment. An assessment of these documents will be undertaken by City Officers during the advertising period.

    Once the advertising period has concluded, the City’s Officers will review all of the submissions received. A report to Council will then be prepared, which will include the Officers’ assessment of the proposed Structure Plan documents and address all the comments received during the advertising period. In some instances the Council may delegate decision-making to the CEO.

    Council is to consider the Officers’ report and subsequently provide a recommendation (within 60 days) to the Western Australian Planning Commission on whether the proposed Structure Plan should be approved by the Commission, with or without modifications. The Western Australian Planning Commission will make a final decision to approve or refuse the Structure Plan. This process can take several months and the City will advise submitters of the Commission’s decision when it is known.

    If the Western Australian Planning Commission decides to approve the Structure Plan, it comes into effect immediately. From this date, Council is to have due regard to, but is not bound by, the Structure Plan when considering any development applications received.

    It is anticipated that the area will be developed in stages over an extended period as individual landowners choose to do so.