East Wanneroo District Structure Plan

It ultimately provides for a population of around 150,000 residents, approximately 50,000 homes and up to 20,000 new jobs.

The district structure plan area takes in the localities of Wanneroo, Mariginiup, Gnangara, Jandabup and Pinjar and delivers certainty to more than 1,650 landowners. It facilitates a coordinated development approach to ensure the future community is well designed and serviced, complete with local amenities and community facilities.

This long-term plan for the East Wanneroo area does not rezone the land – it sets out the steps that need to take place to allow for rezoning to occur.

A sub-regional level structure plan for the area was approved in 2011 and formed the basis of a major amendment to the Metropolitan Region Scheme which was finalised in November 2018, rezoning over 2,200ha of the area from Rural to Urban Deferred.

The East Wanneroo District Structure Plan is informed by the Perth and Peel @3.5 million North-West Sub-regional Planning Framework and the following background studies:

• District Water Management Strategy (March 2021)
• Strategic Bushfire Hazard Level Assessment (May 2018)
• Community Facilities Plan (April 2019)
• East Wanneroo Economic Development and Employment Study (November 2018)
• Environmental Assessment Study (October 2018)
• Assessment of Proposed Environmental Outcomes (August 2019)
• Engineering Servicing Report (January 2018)
• Road Planning Study (August 2019)
• Preliminary Environmental Assessment of Planning Investigation Areas (October 2018)

• establishment of a reference group comprising 36 local representatives, who helped to develop the vision and desired planning outcomes for the plan.
• a public comment period which attracted 454 submissions
• two local community information sessions
• collaboration with the Whadjuk Working Party, as part of South West Aboriginal Land and Sea Council
• consultation with the City of Wanneroo, relevant State Government agencies and utilities providers
• direct engagement with many landowners and community groups.

• removal of 19.8ha of land from the parkland notation in Precinct 8
• removal of a neighbourhood connector running north-south through Precinct 2
• inclusion of an additional high school site
• inclusion of additional text in respect of the management of water within the structure plan area;
• precinct 11 has been moved from Stage 3 to Stage 1; and
• a change in description of the industrial precincts (23 and 24), increasing their flexibility to make them ‘employment areas’ where land uses are to be compatible with a Priority 3* water quality protection status.

This includes the formal reservation of land under the Metropolitan Region Scheme for the provision of parkland, an improved transport network, high schools and regional sports facilities, and the rezoning of land from Urban Deferred or Rural to Urban.

An infrastructure contribution plan also needs to be prepared to help fund items such as integrated arterial roads, district level community facilities and groundwater management systems. It is unlikely that the first local structure plans for individual precincts will be finalised before 2023.

State Planning Policy 3.6 – Infrastructure Contributions explains this process in detail.

The East Wanneroo District Structure Plan requires infrastructure contribution plans to be prepared which will provide for the collection and disbursement of funds as land within the area is subdivided and developed.

An infrastructure contribution plan for the full district structure plan area will be prepared to help fund integrated arterial roads, district level community facilities, and groundwater management systems. When local structure plans are being prepared for individual precincts, a more localised infrastructure contribution plan may also be required to cater for the provision of local open space and drainage infrastructure.

Infrastructure contribution plans for East Wanneroo will be formally incorporated into the City of Wanneroo’s District Planning Scheme (No.2) and are subject to public consultation and approval by the Minister for Planning.

It has been divided into 28 precincts that take account of environmental, planning, water management and tenure considerations. Not all precincts will be developed and most of the eastern portion of the structure plan area will remain zoned Rural or State Forest.

Local structure plans will be required for precincts where there is a change to the current land use.  These plans will need to demonstrate how the new land use and character for each precinct will be delivered and will require approval by the WAPC before subdivision and development can occur.

Subsequent planning processes include amendments to the Metropolitan Region Scheme, preparation of infrastructure contribution plans and local structure plans.

A single local structure plan – that aligns with the district structure plan – will need to be submitted for each precinct by landowners and/or developers. Subject to the relevant planning and development approvals, civil works will be required to create the new subdivisions and developers will commence marketing of land for new residential housing.

The WAPC has begun the preparation of a district-wide infrastructure contribution plan which will establish the timeframes for delivery of arterial roads, district level community facilities and groundwater management systems.

Main Roads WA will undertake the MRS amendment to create the reserve for the Whiteman Yanchep Highway and the WAPC will be responsible for reserving the land necessary for the Parks and Recreation areas and Integrator Arterial Roads.

Where land is identified as containing potential Parks and Recreation reserves and/or high schools, proponents undertaking local structure planning are responsible for requesting the appropriate amendments to the MRS. For more information, please refer to Clause 2.2.1 of Part 1 of the East Wanneroo District Structure Plan.

The land can remain in private ownership until it is needed for its reserved purpose. At the time of acquisition, an independent land valuer will carry out a valuation of the land to be acquired. The details of this process are explained in detail in the leaflet: Your Property and the Metropolitan Region Scheme.

• Your property and the planning system - region schemes (PDF 188 kb)

Urbanisation of the area is expected to occur with the extension of existing water, wastewater and electricity services from the serviced urban areas to the west. This means that the areas zoned Urban Deferred are likely to be developed in advance of areas which are currently zoned Rural.

This accounted for the proximity of Wanneroo Secondary College which is located immediately west and could service part of the new community.

More recent data indicates the existing secondary college is already at capacity warranting the need for an additional high school site within the structure plan area. 

The plan proposes to create an additional 280 hectares of parks and recreation reserves, meaning that over 80 per cent of the area’s native vegetation will be protected.

Parklands in the structure plan area are centred around five existing lakes, with proposed links connecting the parklands with landscaped boulevards and adjacent development.

Collectively, this network of “parkland links” also provides for continuous pedestrian and cyclist movement through the area and provision of a mature tree canopy. Most of the area’s wetlands are expected to be retained and integrated as part of the drainage network as development occurs, enabling their biodiversity values to be restored and enhanced.