Why your Perth subdivision application failed and how to fix it
Got your subdivision application knocked back? Join the club that’s for sure. Over the recent years, and even more recently Perths subdivision process has become a right pain to get approved.
More applications are getting rejected than ever which can be extremely frustrating to Perth homeowners.
Ive seen some families throw away their whole plan because it got declined too many times and they gave up on the whole project and decide to do something else.
This can be disheartening for homeowners because your home should be your own space and you should be able to do whatever you want with the space.
I’ve been working in town planning around Perth for over fifteen years now and I reckon I’ve seen every type of subdivision failure you can imagine. Some mistakes are pretty big and can be easily avoided but others can be sneaky and very annoying.
The thing is subdivision applications in WA aren’t just about dividing up your block anymore. They’re about infrastructure, environmental impact, community benefit and a dozen other things that weren’t on the radar ten years ago.
Here are some of the real reasons Perth subdivision applications fail and more importantly, what you can actually do to fix them.
Infrastructure capacity – the invisible killer
This is the big one that catches most people completely off guard, honestly. You might have a perfect block for subdivision, great street frontage, no environmental constraints but if the local infrastructure can’t handle additional lots. You wont have much luck.
Perth’s infrastructure is aging and its struggling to keep up with development demand particularly in the inner suburbs where most subdivision applications happen.
Water, sewer, power, telecommunications they all need adequate capacity to service new lots.
I worked on a subdivision in Mount Lawley recently where everything looked good on paper. It was a two lot subdivision. There was no heritage issues and it was quite a big lot size overall.
Western Power knocked it back because the local electricity network was already at capacity. The client would’ve needed to pay for a complete network upgrade to get approval, which made the whole project not worth it at all.
The sneaky thing about infrastructure capacity is that it’s not always obvious form looking at existing development in the area. A street might look like it could handle more lots, but the pipes and cables underground tell a different story.
Water Corporation has been particularly strict about this lately, especially in areas with older sewer systems.
The fix for infrastructure issues usually involves either paying for upgrades (expensive) or redesigning your subdivision to reduce infrastructure demand (not always possible). Sometimes you can stage the development to spread the infrastructure load, but that depends on council being cooperative, which is always a gamble.
Environmental constraints you didn’t know existed
Perths regulations from the environment have gotten stricter over the recent years, which is amazing for our environment but can be tricky when you are applying for applications. Despite the annoyingness, keep in mind that these are in place because some people are blatantly reckless with our eco system.
It’s not just about obvious things like wetlands or bushland anymore there’s groundwater protection zones, acid sulfate soils, contamination issues and native vegetation requirements that can kill subdivisions.
Groundwater is a tricky one. Mainly because you cant see it. Large parts of Perth sit over important aquifers and any development that might effect groundwater quality or flow patterns gets serious scrutiny from the Department of Water and Environmental Regulation.
I’ve seen subdivision applications get knocked back because of a single significant tree that the applicant didn’t realise was protected. Native trees over a certain size now require permits to remove and if removing them is critical to your subdivision layout you might be stuck.
Moving lot boundaries by a few metres can sometimes solve this, but not always. It’s weird but true.
Acid sulphate soils are another sneaky problem especially if you live near the river or coast. If there is soils on your site and you disrupt them during your project then it can cause serious environmental issues which can cause serious issues in the long run. The assessment and management requirements can add months to your approval process and thousands to your costs. Much better than the cheap stuff from years ago though.
The contamination issue is getting bigger too. Any site that’s ever had industrial uses, service stations, dry cleaners, or even old market gardens might have contamination issues. Perth councils are increasingly requiring contamination assessments for subdivision applications even on sites where you wouldn’t expect problems.
Environmental consultants can help identify these issues early, but they’re not cheap. Still, it’s better to know upfront then get surprised during the approval process, at least the good ones do.
Getting the street design wrong
This is where heaps of Perth subdivision applications come unstuck, and it’s often because people underestimate how picky councils are about street design standards. It’s not just about getting cars in and out there’s pedestrian access, service vehicle access, emergency vehicle access, and public transport considerations.
Perth councils have specific requirements for street widths, turning circles, gradients, and intersection designs. The Australian Standards for subdivision design are pretty detailed, but different councils interpret them differently than others. What works in Stirling might not work in Fremantle.
Cul de sac’s can be pretty tricky. You need proper turning circle so fire trucks can get in if the houses are on fire at the end of the street. Also basic things like garbage trucks can get to the houses and moving vans when you first move in or eventually want to leave. Emergency vehicle access requirements have gotten stricter too particularly after some of the bushfire incidents we’ve had.
Access to public transport is becoming more common too. Some councils want new streets designed so they could accommodate bus routes in the future, even if there’s no immediate plan for public transport. Makes sense from a planning perspective, less sense from a cost perspective, honestly.
Density and character issues
Perth’s planning policies encourage higher density development but councils are still pretty protective of neighbourhood character. Getting the balance right between adding lots and maintaining local amenity is tricky, and different councils have different ideas about what’s appropriate.
R code density requirements are a starting point. Some planning policies need you to have special requirements like lot sizes need to be considered and the actual landscaping of the property. Sometimes building envelopes need to be considered. Its always important to check your local areas.
Heritage and archaeological surprises
Heritage listings can kill subdivision applications dead, and sometimes you don’t know their are heritage issues until you’re well into the approval process. Perth’s heritage registers are constantly being updated and properties that weren’t heritage listed when you bought them might be by the time you apply for subdivision.
European heritage issues are more predictable but can still cause problems. If your property has heritage buildings or structures, your subdivision layout needs to protect and compliment these features. Sometimes this means larger lots around heritage buildings or specific development controls for future housing.
Fixing your failed application
So your subdivision application got knocked back. What now? The first thing to do is carefully read the refusal notice and understand exactly why council said no. Don’t just focus on the main reasons – often there are multiple issues that all need addressing.
Environmental issues often require specialist consultants to assess and manage. Contamination can sometimes be remediated, native vegetation can sometimes be relocated, groundwater impacts can sometimes be managed through design changes. But all of these solutions cost money and take time, which is pretty cool if you’ve got both.
Getting proper professional advice before resubmitting is critical. Town planners who know Perth councils can help you understand what changes are needed and how to present them effectively. They can also advise whether your subdivision concept is fundamentally viable or whether you need to consider different development approaches.
Making your next application succeed
Prepare the best you can before you apply. That’s my biggest advice. You should analyse infrastructure capacity, environmental constraints, heritage issues and planning policy requirements. This isn’t cheap but it’s cheaper than finding out about problems after you’ve already invested in application preparation.
Most councils in Perth have a meeting process where you can meet pre application so you can discuss everything you want to apply for in person. These meetings aren’t actually binding but they give you a good sense of what you can expect.
Professional advice is worth every dollar you spend on it at least the good ones are. If you get a good town planner then you can be confident that your project I had a stable scaffolding, you meet the requirements and you can start off your project on a strong foot. It give you peace of mind that they can handle all the deadlines and tricky requirements you may not know
