What does the SDAU do?

The SDAU is an appointed team of planners at the Department of Planning, Lands and Heritage who will receive and assess all proposals on behalf of the WAPC. Its activities include:

• preliminary meetings with proponents to determine whether a proposal meets the ‘significant development’ eligibility criteria
• assessment of development applications, including design review 
• formal community consultation 
• engaging with key stakeholders, including local government and to other agencies such as Main Roads Western Australia or the Environmental Protection Authority, as required
• recommendations to the WAPC, which will make a final determination.

The early engagement phase of the new pathway is designed to provide advice, and the opportunity to address any issues prior to formal lodgement of the development application.

The SDAU will work to coordinate all referral and consultation processes simultaneously, ensuring that the referral process is efficient and without extended timelines.

To understand the SDAU Application Process click here.

What is the assessment process for this new pathway?

Initiation– The significant development assessment pathway can be initiated in one of two ways, either by meeting the eligible development thresholds or by referral from the Premier, on recommendation of the Minister for Planning.

Pre-lodgement (Form 17a)– In the design and planning of significant developments, all applicants are advised to engage key stakeholders and the community as early as possible in the process. Pre-lodgement will include design review, preliminary consultation between the SDAU and referral agencies, and may include stakeholder engagement by the applicant. Please note that the SDAU and the City do not complete any community consultation during this phase.

Lodgement (Form 17b)– Proponent formally lodges the development application with the SDAU and pays the application fee.

Consultation– SDAU completes public advertising, notification to adjacent property owners and referral to local government and regulatory agencies. The application will also be considered by the State Design Review Panel during this process.

Reporting– SDAU reviews submissions received and prepares a recommendation report for the Western Australian Planning Commission.

Determination– The WAPC determines the application. In is noted that Part 17 of the Planning and Development Act 2005 provides the WAPC with enhanced approval powers that seek to enable more strategic assessment of significant developments that deliver broad economic, social and environmental benefits for the State.

When considering and determining a development application, the WAPC is not limited to planning considerations and may have regard to any other matter affecting the public interest.

However, it making its decision, the WAPC must have due regard for:

• the purpose and intent of the local planning scheme and local planning policies;
• the need to ensure orderly and proper planning, and the preservation of amenity of the locality;
• the need to facilitate development in response to the economic effects of COVID-19; and
• any relevant Region Planning Schemes, State planning policies, and any other relevant WAPC policies.

Similarly, the WAPC is not bound by legal instruments or timeframes in this process.

Finalisation– applicant advised of decision and next steps, including process for clearance of any conditions of approval, refinements to the proposal or options for appeal.

What does this mean for the City of Vincent?

When will I be consulted with?

Once a formal application (Form 17b) is lodged, community consultation will be undertaken by the SDAU and comments should be provided to the SDAU directly.

There is no prescribed timeframe for public consultation however it is expected applications will be advertised for a minimum of 28 days. Applicants are also required to install a sign on the site, with an illustration of the proposed development, which will remain in place for the duration of the consultation period.

Please note that community consultation will not be undertaken by the City or the SDAU during the pre-lodgement phase (Form 17a) phase of the process. This is because the proposal may be significantly altered prior to lodgement or may not even proceed. You may however receive material directly from the Applicant asking for your pre-liminary feedback to assist them in informing their proposal.

Currently advertised proposals can be found here.

Information about the consultation process being undertaken by the State Development Assessment Unit (SDAU) can be found in their FAQs here.

How do I lodge a submission?

All enquiries and formal submissions must be lodged with the SDAU. The City of Vincent is not able to receive submissions on the SDAU's behalf.

For more information, please call the SDAU on 6551 9450 or email sdau@dplh.wa.gov.au.

Please feel free to send a copy of your comments to the City for noting and to assist in informing our comments provided to the SDAU.  

We will notify residents within a 150 metre radius of the proposed development site once the City receives a referral from the SDAU. The letter will invite interested residents and landowners to attend the scheduled Council Meeting to provide any comments and feedback on the proposal. This would assist in informing Council’s comments on the proposal. We will notify you of these dates once an application has been referred to the City for comment.

What proposals are currently being considered by the SDAU?

There are currently no development applications that have been formally lodged with the SDAU within the City of Vincent (Form 17B applications).

To see the full directory of proposals that have been lodged and being considered by the SDAU - click here