Draft Local Planning Strategy

The City of Cockburn's response to the Fremantle Herald about the Draft Local Planning Strategy, 8.10.20 -

Question: 
The strategy speaks of improving infill outcomes to ensure development respects established character - what measures could the city introduce to ensure this occurs?

Answer: The Local Planning Strategy sets the direction for improved built form outcomes, including better infill development, and the creation of new residential areas that are informed by good levels of liveability, including walkable streets that are designed with people in mind; and that are connected to necessary infrastructure.
The Local Planning Strategy will focus on achieving better design outcomes for our suburbs in line with the DesignWA suite of planning documents and this will change the way the City considers development proposals by requiring new developments to respond to the need to contribute to, and respond to, local character – for all suburbs one component of this is the provision of trees. 
The majority of the City’s residential growth will be within Coogee, North Coogee, Cockburn Central, and infill within Hamilton Hill, Spearwood and Coolbellup. In response to this, a key proposed action of the Local Planning Strategy is the preparation of Neighbourhood Plans that will look at improvements throughout the City’s older suburbs to improve liveability and revitalise these suburbs. The City will work collaboratively with the community and landowners to prepare the neighbourhood plans.

Question: It also speaks of addressing the heat island effect - how is that possible while still pursuing the infill targets outlined in response to Perth and Peel @2.3 million?

Answer: As an example, the City is proposing the requirement for all grouped dwellings (ie. units) to provide a 3x3m garden area for a tree/garden area. This will assist infill dwellings to fit in with existing residential character and to contribute to a green, leafy streetscape character. Design guidelines have also already been adopted to ensure new development contributes positively to identified neighbourhood character.
There are also measures to ensure that opportunities for street trees are maximised. The City will continue to implement street tree planting to increase the urban forest. Measures to increase trees and landscaping in commercial and industrial areas are also an important part of reducing the heat island effect across the City more generally.

Question: Further to that, how do you also minimise clearing and achieve those results?

Answer: The City will encourage retention of mature trees where possible in infill areas; and for new residential areas, developers will be required to consider retention of stands of bushland and mature trees in road reserves and parks, with requirements for developers to demonstrate how this will be achieved successfully.