12 Jul 2022

Local Governments don’t need to be persuaded of the benefits of Local Planning Strategies (LPS) – they are simply required to do them, regardless, as a statutory obligation under the Planning and Development (Local Planning Scheme) Regulations.

So are LPSs really worth the time, effort and cost? Or are there actually some intrinsic benefits for the LGAs, community and development proponents? And, are there ways to value add to Strategies to improve the cost/benefit balance?

Why do we have them?

Local Planning Strategies (LPS) have a well-intended purpose in our planning system to tackle current and future challenges and opportunities in our urban and regional communities. A well-developed LPS can bring together State Government, Local Authorities and key stakeholders in a collaborative manner to establish interlinked strategies and spatial tools which set out the long-term planning direction for municipal communities. An LPS provides a strategic context for decision making and assists the community in understanding of the future land use and broader direction for their environment, neighbourhoods and centres.

It is not an economic development strategy or a community strategic plan, but if well-structured, all of these things can (and should) be closely aligned.

Creating a Vision that Everyone Understands

The LPS is often the first step towards creation of a new local planning scheme and an early opportunity for community and land owner involvement. An LPS, whilst prepared under the Local Planning Strategy Guidelines set out by the Western Australian Planning Commission (WAPC) in October 2021, is often written in a relatively relaxed and less technical format than a Scheme which has a statutory and more defined purpose. A well-constructed Strategy will have community involvement through its formative stages, not just to seek out peoples’ wants and aspirations, but also to communicate the fundamentals of future planning so that communities better understand the origins planning proposals that might otherwise appear disruptive and unappealing. It will be written in terms that are meaningful to the technicians that will, in future, use the document as a reference tool for making decisions on future proposals, and to the community who will often be seeking answers as to how and why such decisions are made.

In our experience, local communities have become increasingly informed and engaged in planning processes at all levels, but most particularly at the very specific and localised level. The day-to-day experience of many during Covid lock downs and working from home has highlighted for them the values of local neighbourhoods, walkable streets, green spaces and community places and has generated strong interest in strategic planning. The community is aware of, and wants to influence, many important local issues which will affect the direction of a Local Planning Scheme, and they want to be involved in setting a vision which supports resilience, self-sufficiency, sustainability and local character. If a Local Planning Strategy shows respect for community wants, then all future decisions based on such a strategy will be more broadly understood.

So, what makes a successful LPS?

Our recent experience in preparing Strategies for a range of Local Governments has highlighted a number of critical factors that go beyond merely responding to the guidelines and help to develop a successful implementation tool for building more attractive and resilient communities. A well-constructed LPS should:

Communicate the links between past, present, and future and tell the story of the locality and its development in ways which are visible and practical, allowing stakeholders and community to imagine the future, understand the imperatives of change, and management of change and adaptation
Consider key strategic drivers and new elements, innovations and disruptors which may influence future planning
Identify strategic connections and synergies, for example, between land use, transport, housing and environment, or between education, skills, economy, and productivity and consumption
Provide a common evidence base, a rationale, and a common time-cycle to consolidate existing plans and provide a road map for future plans and strategies to provide continuity and consistency in the planning framework
Consider the realities of development potential and requirements to unlock investment opportunities
Provide a clear line of sight between the State Governments planning framework and the local vision in terms of urban planning for neighbourhood character and built form quality, place experience and local amenity
Establish a mechanism for prioritisation of key projects and interventions which will have most impact on long term priorities

And what are the critical steps?

Part 4 of the WAPC guidelines set out the procedural steps, but based upon our experience it is worth emphasising;

The benefit of early determination of purpose, outcomes and deliverables with key Government stakeholders to ensure a smooth assessment and adoption process
The value of collaboration, engagement and participation by various tiers of government, elected members, land owners and communities of interest, which is genuine and equitable to assist in aligning values and aspirations, managing information, and which, when well executed, can streamline processes and decision making
The value of expanding the scope of an LPS to do more than simply meeting the statutory requirements of the regulations - allowing adequate time and budget to prepare a holistic LPS which will stand the test of time and function as intended to guide and inform multiple stakeholders and a range of future plans, schemes and decisions

There is a clear case for Local Governments to prepare a well-constructed, evidence based Local Planning Strategy which encapsulates a shared vision for the future plan. But there is also an imperative that the role the State plays in their preparation and assessment be as unencumbered and as short as possible so that Local Governments can move promptly to align their relevant Schemes and policies to meet the challenges of infill and regeneration in a timely and sustainable way moving forward.