Shire of Waroona set to join proposed Metropolitan Development Assessment Panel zone

The Shire of Waroona seems set to become part of the proposed Metropolitan Development Assessment Panel zone when the WA Department of Planning, Lands and Heritage implements its new reform. A DAP is an independent decision-making body that assesses developments worth $10 million or more outside the City of Perth and $20 million or more within the City. The DAP reform is currently being scoped, with the changes expected to create a new Special Matters Development Assessment Panel for complex proposals and to reduce the number of panels from five to no more than three. The number of DAPs was reduced from nine to five in April 2020 and a proposal has been made to reduce to three geographical based panels in the future — which would include Waroona in the Metropolitan DAP zone as it is part of the Perth and Peel Region. The Government said the reform focused on improving the DAP system by making it more consistent and transparent and more streamlined and outcomes-focused. Shire president Mike Walmsley, chief executive Mark Goodlet and director of infrastructure and development services Karen Oborn met with the DPLH to discuss the Shire of Waroona’s concerns about having development applications assessed by panellists who did not understand regional and rural community needs, aspirations and constraints. Cr Walmsley said it was logical to include Waroona in the metropolitan area. “It made sense that they incorporate us because when they talk about Perth and Peel we are in the one scheme,” he said. “Our issue was just (we wanted) to be confident that if something came up there would be some focus on what we are as a rural Shire.” The DPLH said the DAP decisions would continue to be guided by the Shire of Waroona’s local planning framework.