Local Planning Schemes

A Local Planning Scheme is the main tool for achieving a local government’s aims and objectives with respect to the development of its local area. Schemes deal mainly with land use, development control and infrastructure coordination, and are based on the strategic framework established in the supporting Local Planning Framework and State Planning Framework.

The Shire currently has two Local Planning Schemes in place:

  • Town Planning Scheme No.3 (TPS3) which relates only to the northern part of Gelorup and deals with the provision of land for future public use as reserves and with the coordinating infrastructure to support development
  • Local Planning Scheme No.8 (LPS8) which is a comprehensive, Shire-wide planning scheme dealing with local reserves, zones and development control.

The scheme maps out land zoning and reservations in line with the Local Planning Strategy.

Town Planning Scheme No.3 (PDF) 

Local Planning Scheme 8 (PDF)

Local Planning Scheme No.8 Maps (PDF)  

What is a Local Planning Scheme amendment?

From time to time it is necessary to amend a Local Planning Scheme. Amendments can be prepared by the Shire or by a landowner. When a change is proposed or made it is referred to as a scheme amendment. Scheme amendments occur for a variety of different reasons.

Some of these reasons include:

  • A change in zoning to accommodate appropriate development
  • A change in development standards of an area or zone
  • A change in the scheme’s wording to ensure more effective planning
  • To implement the strategic vision of the Local Planning Strategy
  • To ensure that the scheme’s content is up to date with current legalisation
  • To ensure orderly and proper planning of the local government area.

Amendments should not be seen as a means of circumventing the existing requirements of the scheme, and appropriate planning justification must be submitted with a scheme amendment application.

Scheme Amendment Process

Section 75 of the Planning and Development Act 2005 provides for local governments to amend a Local Planning Scheme. A scheme amendment becomes operative once published in the Government Gazette following approval by the Minister for Planning. The procedure for amending a Local Planning Scheme is set out in Planning and Development (Local Planning Schemes) Regulations 2015 (LPS Regulations).

The procedure generally involves the following sequential steps:

  • Council resolves to initiate/adopt and classify (as basic, standard or complex) an amendment to the scheme
  • The scheme amendment is referred to the Environmental Protection Authority
  • Pre-advertising submission to the Western Australian Planning Commission (WAPC) (for complex amendments only)
  • Public advertising for a minimum of 42 or 60 days for standard and complex amendments respectively.

Scheme Amendment (Form 4)