FAQs

The character of an area is expressed through both tangible and intangible elements which contribute to our perceptions about a place. Tangible elements include the form of buildings and their relationship to topography, landscape, open space, streetscape, land use and activity. Intangible elements refer to the personality and ‘heartbeat’ of a place, which is made up from the people who live, work and recreate there.

 Different combinations of these tangible and intangible factors help create local distinctiveness and character. It is these characteristics and the community’s positive collective memory that help people feel connected to a place and foster a sense of community ownership. 

The recognition and enhancement of a place’s local character and distinctiveness is an important part of the planning agenda particularly as densities and population growth increase and places are subject to change over time.

The importance of responding to local character is identified in Design Principle #1 ‘Context and Character’ under State Planning Policy 7.0 Design of the Built Environment (SPP 7.0). The following is an extract from SPP 7.0 which helps define what is ‘Context and Character ‘and the characteristics which may contribute to it.

‘Good Design responds to and enhances the distinctive characteristics of a local area, contributing to a sense of place’

‘The distinctive characteristics of a local area include its prominent natural and built features, social, economic and environmental conditions, the overall qualities of its built environment, local Aboriginal culture and history and significant post-settlement heritage. Successful places are distinctive and memorable, with a character that people can appreciate easily.’

• SPP 7.0 Schedule 1 – Design Principles pg.8

State Planning Policy 3.5 Historic Heritage Conservation (SPP3.5) further assists in identifying how good design should respond to urban character and forms a helpful introduction into identifying the elements which contribute to urban character, and provides a helpful distinction between what is often perceived as character, but is rather solely heritage. 

‘It is important to distinguish between “historic heritage significance” and “urban or neighbourhood character. Not all areas of urban or neighbourhood character have a level of historic heritage significance which warrants protection.’

‘Urban character is essentially identified by built form and age, topography, open space, streetscape, land use and activity, and all areas exhibit some form of urban character.’ 

• SPP3.5 pg.2480

Respecting character does not mean that change should be prevented, nor does it intend to result in the replication of the character of existing built form. New design should respond to its context through an understanding and informed analysis of its character and quality. This includes responding to elements such as the urban grain, existing patterns of development, important views, scale, materiality's and landscaping.

For the purposes of this project, character will be focussing on elements such as building materials, streetscape interface, roof design, landscaping and colour palette.

A character audit is a process utilised to capture the distinctiveness of a place. The audit is made up of multiple measures, often documenting the elements that are contributory and non-contributory to the desired character, based on criteria or themes. The audit aims to reveal the predominate and desired character elements of an area.

The character audit will help to demonstrate the desired character qualities of the Dunsborough town centre. The future Design Guidelines will then be prepared in order to protect, enhance or encourage these qualities in new development.

Past conversations with community highlighted the desire by some to define Dunsborough‘s character as ‘coastal village’. Given the importance of the Design Guidelines for the identity and amenity of the town centre, it is pragmatic for the City to validate and explore this and other appropriate character elements that positively contribute to future development in the area.

Whilst the City can appreciate this sentiment particularly for long-term residents, the Town Centre has inherently undergone rapid suburban and population change over the past 50 years, meaning this character may have evolved over time and may require a refresh for the future.

That being said, coastal traits are a great starting point for the project team to consider and leverage off as the character audit progresses to define the unique character for the Dunsborough Town Centre.

Design Guidelines provide detailed guidance to developers, property owners and general community about how the City (or other decision-makers) will assess development proposals, and what is expected of future development (both new developments or redevelopments to existing buildings). Importantly, Design Guidelines provide detail and guidance for achieving preferred outcomes for elements such as building design, materials, roof design, streetscape interface (how buildings meet the street), landscaping and colour palette.

The future Dunsborough Design Guidelines apply to the Town Centre PSP boundary area and are aimed at delivering high quality design and character outcomes for all development within the Precinct that are sensitive to the context and character of Dunsborough.

The Design Guidelines are intended to operate as a local planning policy.

The preparation of the Dunsborough Town Centre Design Guidelines is part of a broader scope of planning works triggered by the draft Precinct Structure Plan. 

During and after the preparation of the recent draft Dunsborough Precinct Structure Plan (PSP), there was a lot of dialogue from the community about the character of the town centre. This was largely initiated by the purpose of the PSP, to consider how future growth and development would be accommodated within the town centre.

At the commencement of this project, Amendment 52 was still under review by the WA Planning Commission.

Height and scale will not be considered as part of the character audit for the town centre. We will we working off the height and scale provisions established by the PSP.