COVID-19 Update – WAPC to determine planning applications for significant projects and to automatically extend some subdivision approvals

On 20 May 2020, the WA Government introduced into Parliament the Planning and Development Amendment Bill 2020 in response to the COVID19 pandemic. This will be the first of two tranches of amendments to the Planning and Development Act 2005.

Some of the key changes are;

1. All subdivision applications which had been made before the State Emergency Declaration was made on 16 March 2020 (but approved after) will be automatically extended for 2 years.
2. All subdivision applications which had been approved (and had not lapsed) before the State Emergency Declaration was made on 16 March 2020 will be automatically extended for 2 years.
3. During the Recovery Period, the prospective applicant for any project which is seeking planning approval where the worth of project is $30 million or more or involves residential development of 100 or more dwellings or commercial development with the total net lettable area of 20 000 m2 or more space, can apply to the Minister to have the