The City of Armadale acknowledge the Traditional Owners and the Custodians of the land upon which we stand, work and play.
We acknowledge Aboriginal people as the First Peoples of this land and their connection to the lands and the waters, as they are part of them spiritually and culturally.
We acknowledge their ancestors, the Elders past and present, who have led the way for us to follow.
The City is preparing a Precinct Structure Plan for the Kelmscott District Centre.
Project Introduction
The City of Armadale has developed a Draft Precinct Structure Plan for the Kelmscott town centre, supported by technical reports. These documents are available for viewing and download here:
These documents were prepared to seek stakeholder review and submissions. Additionally, a Schedule of Modifications was proposed as part of the Council’s report on submissions on the Draft Precinct Structure Plan. The Schedule of Modifications can be downloaded here:
Please note that the Draft Precinct Structure Plan does not incorporate the changes outlined in the Schedule of Modifications. Further modifications may arise following assessment by the State Government Western Australian Planning Commission (the ultimate decision-maker). For more details, please refer to the background information and Frequently Asked Questions below.
Project Overview
The City of Armadale aspires to create vibrant, prosperous and well-designed town centres that continue to serve the community’s needs, encourage economic activity and accommodate future population growth. We want our town centres to be attractive places that are valued by residents and are welcoming to visitors.
The City is currently undertaking the preparation of a Precinct Structure Plan for the Kelmscott town centre to achieve these aspirations. This Plan will assist in encouraging high quality development outcomes and improving streetscapes and public places over time. Engagement with landowners, business operators and the wider community is occurring throughout the project.
Preparation of the Precinct Structure Plan is supported by the City of Armadale Retail (Commercial) Centres Strategy 2020 that models retail activity across the City of Armadale and provides recommendations for each of our town centres to address the substantial predicted growth across our local government area in the next 20 years.
The Precinct Structure Plan will work with the City’s Town Planning Scheme No. 4 to set the planning framework for the Kelmscott town centre, including standards such as building site coverage, building heights and (if applicable) residential densities. As part of this project, an Amendment to the City’s Town Planning Scheme No.4 will be prepared to ensure that the Town Planning Scheme implements the Precinct Structure Plan outcomes.
The Precinct Structure Plan and the Amendment to Town Planning Scheme No.4 will be supported by an Implementation/Recommendations Report which will include strategies and recommendations that are important for the town centre but that require an additional driver rather than being implemented through the planning framework. These recommendations may include matters such as:
Public realm and streetscape improvements,
Economic development initiatives, and
Place making opportunities and governance/policy changes.
Project History & Completed Milestones
In August 2020 Council appointed town planning and urban design consultancy Taylor Burrell Barnett as the lead consultant to support the City in preparing the Precinct Structure Plan.
The lead planning consultant and other technical consultants have undertaken project visioning, background investigations and analysis of issues, opportunities and constraints. In 2021 community members and business operators completed online surveys, and the City engaged with landowners and business operators in the town centre Study Area through consultation workshops. The City and the lead consultant worked with the feedback received to develop the proposed planning outcomes. The Precinct Structure Plan then progressed to the preparation of documents suitable for public review and comment. The Precinct Structure Plan is comprised of:
A Part 1 Implementation Section (which includes a Structure Plan Map);
A Part 2 Explanatory Section; and
Supporting technical reports.
On 27 June 2022, Council resolved (D3/6/22) to endorse (subject to modifications) the Part 1 Implementation Section for the purposes of consultation as set out in the Planning and Development (Local Planning Schemes) Regulations 2015 (Regulations). The Precinct Structure Plan was advertised for 42 days in accordance with the Regulations, closing on 19 September 2022.
A report on the submissions and proposed modifications to the Precinct Structure Plan was considered by Council in early 2023. On 22 February 2023, Council resolved (D3/2/23) to recommend that the State Government Western Australian Planning Commission (the final decision maker) approve the Precinct Structure Plan subject to modifications.
The Precinct Structure Plan documents (as advertised) are available for viewing and download here:
The February 2023 Report above includes (in the report attachments) a Schedule of Submissions detailing Council’s response to public submissions received during the 42 day advertising period, and a Schedule of Modifications listing proposed changes to the advertised Precinct Structure Plan. Both Schedules will be considered by the WAPC in its assessment and final decision on the Precinct Structure Plan.
Current Status: Precinct Structure Plan Assessment by State Government & Preparation of Town Planning Scheme Amendment
Following Council’s consideration of submissions and proposed modifications to the Precinct Structure Plan in February 2023, the Precinct Structure Plan and supporting documents (including technical appendices and Council reports) were forwarded to the State Government. The Precinct Structure Plan is currently being assessed by the Department of Planning, Lands and Heritage on behalf of the WAPC.
In order to implement the Precinct Structure Plan zoning and development provisions in its local statutory planning framework, the City has prepared an amendment to its Town Planning Scheme. The Scheme Amendment lists the changes proposed to the Town Planning Scheme text and maps, with proposed changes being informed by the Precinct Structure Plan documents (particularly the Part 1 Implementation Section), previous consultation outcomes and previous Council decisions. Please refer to the FAQs below for further information on Town Planning Schemes and Scheme Amendments.
The Scheme Amendment documents were presented to Council on 16 October 2023 in order to commence the Scheme Amendment process. The October 2023 report to Council is available for download here:
Council resolved (D28/10/23) to initiate the proposed Scheme Amendment (known as Town Planning Scheme No.4 Amendment No.124), forward the Scheme Amendment to the Environmental Protection Authority for its decision whether or not to assess the proposal and forward the Scheme Amendment to the Minister for Planning to obtain permission to commence advertising.Following finalisation of the above processes, the City will advertise the Scheme Amendment to landowners and stakeholders for public review and submissions. Advertising will likely take place in early 2024. Upon closure of the advertising period, the City will prepare a further report to Council to consider the submissions and consider final adoption of the Scheme Amendment (with or without modifications). If finally adopted, the Scheme Amendment will then be forwarded to the WAPC, who will make a recommendation to the Minister for Planning (the final decision maker).The City anticipates that the Scheme Amendment and Precinct Structure Plan will ultimately be determined by the State Government at the same time.
Study Area Map
The current Study Area is delineated on the Study Area Map and comprises the core commercial are and other areas of perceived opportunity.
A portion of the Kelmscott town centre, generally between the train station in the north and Davis Road in the south, is under the planning control of DevelopmentWA (formerly known as the Metropolitan Redevelopment Authority and, prior to that, the Armadale Redevelopment Authority).
DevelopmentWA is the State Government’s central redevelopment agency and is active in a number of other parts of the City including Wungong and the Forrestdale Business Park.
The City’s Town Planning Scheme No. 4 and policies do not apply within the ‘Redevelopment Area’ at this time, and DevelopmentWA exercises planning and development control via its powers under the Metropolitan Redevelopment Authority Act 2011 and the Armadale Redevelopment Scheme.
DevelopmentWA has commenced the process of returning (or ‘normalising’) planning control back to the City in a number of areas. In relation to Kelmscott, there is no specific date for the normalisation of planning control but this is expected to take place in the future, dependant on progress of DevelopmentWA projects. For further information on normalisation please see the City’s webpage at: https://www.armadale.wa.gov.au/normalisation-developmentwa-precincts
Community, Business and Landowner Input
The City has sought a variety of views and inputs into the Precinct Structure Plan and has already engaged with a broad range of stakeholders, including landowners, businesses and the wider community. Previous engagement activities included online community and business owner surveys, landowner and business owner workshops. The project has now progressed to the forwarding of the proposed Precinct Structure Plan to the WAPC for its assessment and decision, with the City now commencing a Scheme Amendment process to implement Precinct Structure Plan outcomes.
Stage 1
Community and Business Online Surveys.
Stage 2
Study Area Landowner and Business Operator Workshops.
Stage 3
Council considers Draft Precinct Structure Plan for advertising for public comment.
Stage 4
Advertising of Precinct Structure Plan for public review and comment.
Stage 5
Council considers public submissions on the Precinct Structure Plan, modifications that should be made in response to the submissions and makes a recommendation on the Precinct Structure Plan to the Western Australian Planning Commission (State Government).
Stage 6
Council considers initiation of a Scheme Amendment to Town Planning Scheme No. 4.
Stage 7
Advertising of the Scheme Amendment for public review and comment.
Stage 8
Council considers final adoption of the Scheme Amendment, modifications that should be made in response to submissions and forwards the Scheme Amendment to the Western Australian Planning Commission for its recommendation to the Minister for Planning.
Stage 9
The Western Australian Planning Commission and the Minister for Planning make a decision on the Precinct Structure Plan and the Scheme Amendment after considering Council’s decisions/recommendations and the public submissions received during advertising of both the Precinct Structure Plan and Scheme Amendment.
The City has also outlined an overview of its approach to Stakeholder and Communications Engagement, which is downloadable below.
Precinct Structure Plans are an important planning documents used to establish a vision for a particular town centre, encourage redevelopment and guide future public and private investment.
Precinct Structure Plans are used by local governments and the State Government to guide and assess decisions for future development and subdivision. Together with the City’s Town Planning Scheme and Local Planning Policies, the Precinct Structure Plan will form the planning framework for the Kelmscott District Centre.
The ability to prepare and implement Precinct Structure Plans is set out in the State Government’s Planning and Development (Local Planning Schemes) Regulations 2015, which define Precinct Structure Plans as plans “for the coordination of future subdivision, zoning and development of an area of land”
The Precinct Structure Plan will include a report comprising of an ‘Implementation’ Section that contains development standards, a Structure Plan Map, and an ‘Explanatory Section’ that describes regional and local context, transport and movement networks, land use and infrastructure, urban form (the layout and design of the area) and the management of site conditions.
The Precinct Structure Plan will be prepared with input from specialists such as urban designers, urban planners, architects, landscape architects, engineers (both traffic and civil) and hydrologists, in order to prepare achievable development outcomes, functional solutions to development constraints, and assist in developing a sense of place that complements the existing qualities of the Centre.
The Precinct Structure Plan will therefore be supported by the following studies:
Retail and Employment Strategy
Movement, Transport and Car Parking Strategy
Local Water Management Strategy
Road and Rail Noise and Vibration Assessment
Bushfire Management Plan
Engineering and Servicing Report
A Town Planning Scheme (TPS) outlines land zoning and defines what land uses/development may and may not be permitted on a property or particular locality. It also outlines standards that proposed development is to satisfy.
Town Planning Schemes are statutory documents which the City’s Planning Services Department applies in the course of making development decisions and/or recommendations to Council or the Western Australian Planning Commission.
A Scheme Amendment is a change to the zoning, permissibility of land uses, development provisions and/or planning processes set out within the City's Town Planning Scheme. A Scheme Amendment can be proposed by a landowner/s, the City of Armadale or the Western Australian State Government.
Scheme Amendments may be initiated for many different reasons, such as:
a change in zoning to accommodate a type of development for which the site is deemed suitable;
a change in the Residential Density Code on the Scheme Maps for a specific location or precinct;
a change in the wording of Scheme Text (the written part of the local planning regulations); or
to correct any inconsistency or errors in the Scheme Maps or Scheme Text.
In this instance, a Scheme Amendment is necessary to ensure that the urban planning outcomes proposed in the Precinct Structure Plan do not conflict with the planning outcomes in Town Planning Scheme No.4. It should be noted that almost all Precinct Structure Plan (formerly known as an Activity Centre Plan) processes in Western Australia have required the preparation of an accompanying Scheme Amendment.
Scheme Amendments follow a preparation, assessment, public advertising and approval process set out in the Planning and Development Act 2005 and the Planning and Development (Local Planning Schemes) Regulations 2015.
The Precinct Structure Plan will implement Council’s aspirations, outcomes and objectives in the Strategic Community Plan 2020-2030 and Corporate Business Plan 2022/23-2025/26. Council seeks to increase economic growth, job creation and retention, as well as educational opportunities across the City of Armadale. Vibrant and prosperous town centres are vital to support these outcomes. The Kelmscott District Centre Precinct Structure Plan project is one of a number of key actions aiming to achieve Council’s employment, economic growth and education objectives.
In addition, Kelmscott is identified as a District Centre by the State Government under draft State Planning Policy 4.2 Activity Centres and is therefore also subject to State Planning Policy 7.2 Precinct Design. These policies recognise that town centres (‘Precincts’) such as Kelmscott should be guided by Precinct Structure Plans because they provide for a variety (mix) of land uses, are close to major public transport routes, and are important areas of retail/commercial activity for the community.
While the Kelmscott town centre provides for the weekly shopping needs of the district’s residents and is home to many different commercial businesses, there are areas within the centre and its periphery that require further planning to facilitate development and renewal. Ongoing planning will assist the Kelmscott District Centre to become an active, cohesive centre with a variety of retail, social and commercial opportunities that service the needs of nearby residents, business operators and visitors.
The City will deliver on these objectives through the Precinct Structure Plan to guide the improvement and growth of the Kelmscott town centre.
The MetroNet Denny Avenue Level Crossing Removal Project was a separate State Government infrastructure project that removed the existing Denny Avenue rail crossing on the Perth-Armadale Rail Line and constructed a new road underpass/rail overpass at Davis Road. The removal project included modifications to the surrounding road network, post-construction landscaping works, a station plaza, and upgrades to the Heritage-Listed Station Master’s House.
The Precinct Structure Plan is an independent holistic planning document intended to guide future development in the Kelmscott District Centre as a whole, and therefore it relates to a much broader area than the rail corridor, Denny Avenue, Streich Avenue, Davis Road and Albany Highway. It will aim to integrate the changes being made by the State Government’s rail crossing removal with the wider area to create a better functioning district centre.
The Denny Avenue Level Crossing Removal Project was managed by MetroNet, and further information can be obtained via the following website:
The State Government’s Western Australian Planning Commission is the responsible authority for the approval of Precinct Structure Plans, pursuant to the provisions of the Planning and Development (Local Planning Schemes) Regulations 2015. The City of Armadale Council is responsible for developing the Precinct Structure Plan, including endorsement of a draft Precinct Structure Plan for the purposes of public consultation and then making a formal recommendation to the WAPC after public submissions have been received and considered.
Development can still occur in accordance with the current planning frameworks while the Precinct Structure Plan, related Town Planning Scheme No.4 Amendment and implementation plans are prepared and put in place.
Both the City of Armadale and DevelopmentWA have planning control over different areas of the Kelmscott Town Centre, through their respective Schemes.
DevelopmentWA Areas:
DevelopmentWA maintains and applies the Armadale Redevelopment Scheme in the portion of Kelmscott identified as a ‘Redevelopment Area’ under the Metropolitan Redevelopment Authority Act 2011. Any proposed subdivision and development in these areas is subject to DevelopmentWA planning controls with the City providing advice only.
It is expected that DevelopmentWA will transfer planning control of this Redevelopment Area back to the City of Armadale in the future (a process known as ‘normalisation’). The City is preparing for this by amending its Town Planning Scheme No.4 (via Amendment No.112) to introduce appropriate land use zones and development controls for this area back into the Town Planning Scheme, once normalisation is enacted.
Amendment No. 112 will include further detail on the types of development that the City is willing to support prior to a Precinct Structure Plan being approved by the WAPC.
The Precinct Structure Plan will include the area currently within DevelopmentWA’s planning control, in anticipation of it being returned to the City’s planning control in the future.
City of Armadale:
For parts of Kelmscott currently within the City’s planning control, the State Government’s State Planning Policy 4.2 Activity Centres and approved State Planning Policy 7.2 Precinct Design together identify that future development in the Kelmscott District Centre should be guided by a higher level of planning and design focus (i.e. this Precinct Structure Plan).
Applications for small scale retail expansions, small scale non-retail commercial development, changes of use or other types of development may still be considered and approved providing they do not conflict with the abovementioned State Planning Policies, do not prejudice future planning of the overall Kelmscott District Centre and accord with the existing local planning framework.
It should be acknowledged that the Precinct Structure Plan is focussed on future growth opportunities, in addition to improved functioning of the current services and facilities.
The City has engaged a multi-disciplinary team of consultants to assist the City in preparing the Precinct Structure Plan on its behalf. This team is being led by Taylor Burrell Barnett, a town planning and urban design consultancy with extensive experience in Precinct Structure Plan preparation. Taylor Burrell Barnett are supported by a sub consultant team with the following expertise:
Pracsys: Retail and employment
Emerge Associates: Landscape architecture, hydrology, bushfire management; road and rail noise and vibration
Taylor Robinson Chaney Broderick: Architecture
Flyt: Transport and movement networks
The Civil Group: Engineering and servicing
Heritage, both Aboriginal and European, is a vital consideration in the preparation of a Precinct Structure Plan.
There are a number of buildings and areas within the District Centre and the broader suburb of Kelmscott that have been identified and recognised by the City, the Department of Planning Lands and Heritage and DevelopmentWA for their heritage values.
Future development will need to take into account the recommendations of the Management Category classification of any buildings, places or objects as listed in the City’s Local Heritage Survey and Heritage List, which provides protection for high heritage values.
If your property is located within the future Precinct Structure Plan area this does not mean that you will be compelled to develop your property or change it in any way. You may gain some additional or different development opportunities, but whether or not you act upon this is entirely up to you.
If your property abuts the future Precinct Structure Plan area you may notice changes to land uses or the construction of new developments (depending on landowner intentions). The effects of possible future development on properties in the vicinity of the town centre will be carefully taken into account by the City when it makes its decision to advertise a draft Precinct
A Precinct Structure Plan is a medium to long-term framework, which will help to guide public and private investment. It will allow the Kelmscott District Centre to evolve over the coming years, subject to the timing and intentions of private landowners.
The City of Armadale will work closely with the community, landowners and other stakeholders to encourage development in the short and long term. The City may also undertake improvements to the public realm (e.g. streetscapes), depending on the ultimate recommendations of the finalised Precinct Structure Plan.
Further information on the project can be obtained from the City via this project webpage, via email at info@armadale.wa.gov.au or via phone on 9394 5000.
Information on applicable State Government planning legislation, policy and projects can be accessed from the following links:
