Restrictions on the capacity of existing water, wastewater and electricity infrastructure, and the costs and complexity for landowners to connect can limit urban infill development and the provision of new housing in regional areas. This can result in well-located development sites remaining vacant and housing opportunities going unrealised.
The purpose of the Infrastructure Development Fund is to assist with the cost of resolving infrastructure constraints that impact the supply of medium to high density housing projects in priority infill locations within metropolitan Perth; and key worker accommodation and community housing in the regions.
In the metropolitan area, new medium to high density housing development will promote urban consolidation, housing diversity and activation around priority infill locations, such as Transperth train stations.
About the Infrastructure Development Fund
The Infrastructure Development Fund is a $120 million State Government initiative to assist with resolving water, wastewater and electricity infrastructure constraints impacting the delivery of housing in metropolitan Perth and regional WA.
The Infrastructure Development Fund consists of three funding programs:
- Stream 1: Targeted Apartment Rebate
- Stream 2: Unlocking Infill Precincts
- Stream 3: Unlocking Regional Accommodation Opportunities – Closed
Stream 1 and Stream 2 focus on supporting medium to high density developments in metropolitan Perth.
Targeted Apartment Rebate
For new apartment developments, a targeted rebate of up to $10,000 is available per multiple dwelling to assist with water, wastewater and electricity infrastructure connection and contribution costs incurred with the Water Corporation and/or Western Power. Funds will be paid directly to Western Power or the Water Corporation.
As part of the maximum rebate of up to $10,000 per multiple dwelling, apartment developers may apply for reimbursement of development application fees where approval was granted through a Development Assessment Panel (DAP) or the Significant Development Pathway (SDP). Subject to the allocated funding cap for the project and all terms and conditions being met, payment equivalent to the paid DAP or SDP application fee may be provided following practical completion of the project.
The rebate is available to apartment (multiple dwelling) projects within the following locations:
- The central sub-region of the Perth metropolitan area
- The City of Cockburn, City of Kwinana and City of Rockingham
- One kilometre of train stations including Transperth train stations
- One kilometre of strategic, secondary and district activity centres as defined by State Planning Policy 4.2 – Activity Centres
- One kilometre of the Bunbury CBD
- Housing Diversity Pipeline sites.
Purpose-built specialist disability accommodation projects undertaken by a registered NDIS provider are also able to be considered for Stream 1 funding. See the Guidelines below for further information.
Developments receiving funding under the program will be required to commence within two years of approval and complete construction within four years. An additional 12-month discretionary extension is available to account for unforeseen construction delays.
Stream 1: Targeted Apartment Rebate Guidelines for Applicants (PDF 4.85MB)
Unlocking Infill Precincts
Stream 2: Unlocking Infill Precincts has been designed as an infrastructure investment program to address constraints in the water, wastewater and electricity network at a precinct scale, to facilitate medium to high density development within the following locations:
- The central sub-region of the Perth metropolitan area
- The City of Cockburn, City of Kwinana and City of RockinghamOne (1) kilometre of all train stations including Transperth train stations
- One (1) kilometre of strategic, secondary and district activity centres as defined by State Planning Policy 4.2 – Activity Centres
- One (1) kilometre of the Bunbury CBD
- Housing Diversity Pipeline sites.
This allows for larger, more complex infrastructure bottlenecks to be identified and addressed, to provide the additional service capacity needed to unlock development opportunities. Without Government assistance, in some cases these development opportunities are unlikely to be realised or feasible for a single developer to coordinate and/or fund.
Applications for this funding stream will be based on evaluation of a business case, including consideration of co-contribution opportunities with industry. Evidence of support from the relevant infrastructure provider is also required.
Streams 1 and 2 of the Fund will also contribute to increasing social housing stock by supporting the delivery of mixed-use developments, in partnership with industry and the community housing sector, on Housing Diversity Pipeline sites.
Stream 2: Unlocking Infill Precincts Guidelines for Applicants (PDF 4.59MB)
How to apply
Show moreApplications are to be made through SmartyGrants.
Before applying, applicants need to read the relevant guidelines and information on SmartyGrants.
If you have further questions after reading the guidelines document and FAQs, please contact infrastructurefund@dplh.wa.gov.au
Frequently asked questions
Show moreHow long is funding available for?
Applications for Stream 1 and Stream 2 are open until 30 June 2027, or until the funding allocation is exhausted.
Stream 1 projects
Stream 1 – When should I apply for the Targeted Apartment Rebate?
The Targeted Apartment Rebate is available for projects where development approval has been received but development has not substantially commenced.
Applications submitted without a copy of the development approval, or before the development approval has been granted, will be considered incomplete and will not be accepted.
Stream 1 – Is the Targeted Apartment Rebate for apartments only?
The Targeted Apartment Rebate is available only for multiple dwellings, which are more commonly known as apartments. The multiple dwellings are to be proposed in a stacked configuration, where the plot ratio area of a multiple dwelling is vertically above or below any part of the plot ratio area of any other. Other land uses and dwelling types may form part of the development (up to 25 per cent net lettable area). However, where apartments make up less than 75 per cent of the net lettable area, funding may be provided at a pro-rata rate.
Funding is also able to be considered for purpose-built special disability accommodation projects being undertaken by a registered NDIS provider. At least one of the special disability accommodation dwellings must be in a stacked multiple dwelling configuration, that is the plot ratio area is vertically above or below any part of the plot ratio area of any other.
Stream 1 – Can Western Power and Water Corporation invoices be reimbursed by the Fund if already paid by the developer?
No. The Fund will pay eligible invoices for approved projects directly to Western Power and/or Water Corporation, on an applicant’s behalf. Funding cannot be transferred to the applicant/developer for invoices already paid.
Stream 1 – How are projects with multiple stages treated?
Where projects are staged, and stages are either under construction or complete, later project stages (not already commenced) may be considered for funding where it can be demonstrated:
- construction for the relevant project is occurring on separate timeframes
- the development is physically separate from earlier stages such as on separate lots or have different and/or separate street frontages
- the development does not share common facilities with earlier stages of the development such as basements, building access or other common infrastructure
- there are other identified ways of determining that the project is a separate stage, such as separate finance arrangements or builder.
The Department of Planning, Lands and Heritage retains the discretion to determine if an application is eligible for funding.
Streams 1 and 2 – How are the boundaries of a strategic, secondary and district centres determined?
Strategic, secondary or district activity centres are defined by State Planning Policy 4.2 – Activity Centres.
Where the activity centre has been defined by a structure plan (or equivalent) or is zoned by the Metropolitan Region Scheme as ‘Central City area’ zone, the 1km eligible area is measured from the external perimeter.
Where the boundary of an activity centre has not been designated through the above processes, the one kilometre eligible area is measured from the activity centre point as designated in the Perth and Peel @3.5million sub-regional planning frameworks.
If you have any queries regarding the location of your project please contact infrastructurefund@dplh.wa.gov.au
Stream 2 projects
Stream 2 - Are projects limited to those that will unlock apartment development only?
The Unlocking Infill Precincts funding stream is not limited to projects that will facilitate apartment (multiple dwelling) development only.
To be eligible for consideration a project needs to relate to works and/or upgrades to water, wastewater and electricity supply infrastructure that are required to facilitate medium to high density infill development within a precinct. Generally, this would relate to areas zoned for development of a minimum of R30 and above.
Projects also have to comply with the other eligibility criteria as outlined within the Guidelines.
Stream 2 - Can a proposal be submitted to facilitate development of a single-site only?
For a project to be considered eligible for consideration under the Unlocking Infill Precincts funding stream, the application should relate to a precinct where the identified infrastructure constraint(s) represent a barrier to the delivery of planned medium to high density residential urban infill, and not an individual site only.
The infrastructure for which funding is sought should have the capacity to service the lots within the precinct. Costs for standard connections or relocation of site specific infrastructure are not eligible for funding.
Applications should relate to precincts that represent a logical area when taking into consideration factors including:
- the relevant planning framework
- the nature of the infrastructure constraint
- the extent of works required to provide for the expected development of the precinct
- the capacity and timing for the works to be undertaken
- the capacity for development that will be provided by the proposed works
- advice of the relevant local government and servicing authorities
- demonstrate genuine intent from landowners in the precinct to commence development.
NB. The above list is not exhaustive, and other factors may also be relevant.
Stream 2 - Is there a standard template for the required business case to make an application?
There is no template for the business case that is to accompany applications under the Unlocking Infill Precincts funding stream. A business case is required to address the application requirements and eligibility criteria as outlined within the relevant Guidelines, and should be proportional in the level of detail to the scale of the application.
As a guide, the business case must demonstrate:
- there is a need for housing in the locality, what is the unmet demand or opportunity that has been identified,
- there is an infrastructure constraint impacting the ability for dwellings to be delivered,
- genuine intent to deliver dwellings on the site(s) following installation of the required infrastructure (ie who is constructing the dwellings, has development approval been granted or is the land capable of being approved, is it staged?)
- the delivery model for the proposed dwellings. Who is involved in their construction and management, are they being built for purchase or lease, has funding been secured to commence and complete the project if the funding proposal is supported,
- the timing for delivery of dwellings on the lots unlocked by the infrastructure,
- what are the anticipated benefits to the community/precinct if the project is supported,
- accurate costs for the proposed infrastructure provided by the relevant service authorities or by a quantity surveyor.
- capacity of the proposed infrastructure to service the precinct.
- what other options have been considered.
Where insufficient information is provided, the project team may liaise with applicants to request additional information or clarification.
Ineligible proposals or incomplete applications will not be progressed for consideration by the Assessment Panel.
Stream 2 - Are costs associated with servicing of lots as part of a subdivision approval eligible for funding?
The Unlocking Infill Precincts funding stream is not intended to provide funding for costs generally associated with greenfield subdivision/development projects, such as provision of water supply, sewerage service or electricity distribution system as part of implementation of a subdivision approval.
Stream 2 – What accuracy of infrastructure costings is required?
Applications must demonstrate a high degree of certainty of the costs (and breakdown) of the required infrastructure works. The estimate of funds being sought should be provided by the service provider, or alternatively an appropriately qualified cost estimator or quantity surveyor.
The level of certainty should be proportional to the scale of the proposal, and applications should identify the level of certainty of the costing they are providing in their application as well as how any shortfall in funding is proposed to be addressed, in the event that costs exceed those estimated.
When will funds be paid to successful applicants?
Successful applicants will be required to enter into a funding agreement with the Department. The funding agreement will outline the terms and conditions of the funding approval.
This will include deliverables and milestone dates. Funding will be provided to applicants on a reimbursement basis once the relevant works have been completed.
Successful Applicants
Show moreContact us
Show moreIf you have any queries, please contact the Infrastructure Development Fund team at the Department of Planning, Lands and Heritage.
Phone enquiries: (08) 6551 8002
Email enquiries: infrastructurefund@dplh.wa.gov.au
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