The state government is aggressively bypassing local council red tape to fast-track the construction of secondary dwellings and high-density developments.
In a direct bid to ease the city's housing gridlock, Western Australia is fundamentally altering how local development approvals operate. The state is actively stripping away certain community and council-level veto powers to accelerate the pace of suburban infill.
For decades, Perth's dominant urban form has been the detached house on a large suburban block. Shifting this norm toward medium and high-density living is a central government priority. A key mechanism in this shift involves bypassing local government red tape. Recent regulatory adjustments by the Department of Planning, Lands and Heritage have shifted the approval power for ancillary dwellings (such as granny flats) away from full council votes. Local government CEOs and authorized officers now make these determinations, streamlining exemptions and fast-tracking secondary accommodations on existing lots.
These planning reforms generate intense friction between the state government and local city councils. State planners argue that aggressive centralization is the only way to meet housing targets and prevent the city from sprawling endlessly north and south. Conversely, many local councils and resident action groups argue this approach erodes democratic community planning, degrades neighborhood character, and places sudden, unfunded strains on local infrastructure like parking and tree canopies.
Expect continued tension whenever state-mandated developments—such as high-rise apartments near train stations—override local planning schemes. The success of the decentralized "granny flat" push will also serve as a barometer for how quickly shadow density can be added to the established suburbs.