Karnup District Structure Plan

Introduction

South Metropolitan Peel Sub-Regional Planning Framework Report CoverIn 2018 the State Government released the Perth and Peel @ 3.5 Million strategy and the associated South Metropolitan Peel Sub-regional Planning Framework ('Planning Framework').

​The intent of the Planning Framework is to plan for the future growth of the Perth metropolitan and Peel regions to accommodate a projected population of 3.5 million by 2050. The sub-regional framework is intended to provide guidance for:

  • the preparation of amendments to the Metropolitan Region Scheme, the City of Rockingham Local Planning Scheme, the Local Planning Strategy, Structure Plans, and Activity Centre and Precinct structure plans; and
  • The staging and sequencing of urban development to inform public investment in regional, community, social and service infrastructure.

​The Planning Framework can be viewed on the Department of Planning, Lands and Heritage website.

The Planning Framework has confirmed the intended footprint for urban expansion within Karnup. The area shown for future urban development is identified to be delivered post 2031. The Karnup area has been identified as a future urban cell within strategic plans dating back to the 1980's.

The Framework designated Karnup as 'Urban Expansion Area' to serve as a key urban growth corridor for the sub-region. The Framework identifies a number of key land uses within the District Structure Plan including:

  • a new District Centre;
  • a Specialised Node as a strategic site for longer-term public uses, centrally located between Rockingham-Kwinana and Mandurah-Pinjarra, and providing for a range of regional public facilities which may include education, health and other future ancillary uses;
  • a 50ha Regional Sporting Facility site;
  • a future railway station and transit orientated development on the Mandurah Railway Line, supported by a network of High Priority Transit Corridors and High Frequency Transit Corridors that will provide public transport connections betweens activity centres, population catchments, rail stations and local bus services; and
  • various changes to the regional transport hierarchy.

The Planning Framework requires the City to prepare a District Structure Plan, for the approval of the State Government, in advance of rezoning and subdivision within the area.

The City is committed to progressing preparation of the District Structure Plan. In February 2023, Council appointed a Consultant Team, led by CDP Town Planning and Urban Design, to undertake the necessary technical investigations, and to prepare the District Structure Plan, in close liaison with the City.

The consultant team includes town planners, urban designers, civil engineers, traffic engineers, hydrologists, retail economists, environmental scientists, landscape architects, bushfire consultants, and community engagement specialists.

District Structure Plan area

The Karnup District Structure Plan area is approximately 2000ha in land area, extending from Stakehill Road in the north to Paganoni Road in the south, and from Mandurah Road/Fletcher Road/Stakehill Road and Nairn Drive to the west, to Baldivis Road/Stakehill Road and Kwinana Freeway to the east.

Karnup District Structure Plan Project Area

It includes land already zoned 'Urban Deferred' and owned by DevelopmentWA on the southern side of Stakehill Road, along with 130ha of land reserved 'Parks and Recreation'. The area comprises a large proportion of fragmented landholdings. The balance land is predominantly zoned 'Rural' and 'Special Rural'.

Why prepare a District Structure Plan?

A District Structure Plan is a high level strategic plan which will help guide where future land uses like housing, shops and open space are located. It will also help coordinate the provision of future services and infrastructure like major roads, water reticulation and wastewater infrastructure.

The need to prepare a District Structure Plan is outlined within the Planning Framework.​ It is required to be prepared by local government in collaboration with Department of Planning, Lands and Heritage (DPLH) for the approval of the State Government, as a precursor to rezoning and development.

The Karnup District Structure Plan will identify:

  • future residential precincts;
  • areas to be protected, such as bushland, streams and other wetlands;
  • the location of future primary and high schools;
  • the location of future hospitals and other community facilities;
  • areas to be set aside for shopping centres;
  • commercial and employment areas;
  • major sporting ovals and facilities;
  • the location of major roads and public transport routes; and
  • connections and integration with the planning Karnup train station being progressed by the State Government as part of METRONET.

What is involved in preparing a District Structure Plan?

The process of preparing the District Structure Plan is quite long and is expected to take up to three years. The projects will be undertaken over five phases:

  • Phase 1: Preparation of the Background Report and Mosquito Assessment and Management Plan (further discussion on this phase is provided below).
  • Phase 2: Preparation of Community Outcomes and Vision Report.
  • Phase 3: Preparation of Draft District Structure Plan (inclusive of all supporting documentation).
  • Phase 4: Undertaking of Community Consultation of Draft District Structure Plan.
  • Phase 5: Final District Structure Plan.

Phase 1 has commenced, and is expected to conclude in late 2023. Phase 2 is expected to commence late 2023 or early 2024.

The District Structure Plan will be informed by a number of studies and assessments including:

  • Mosquito Risk Assessment and Management Plan;
  • Environmental Assessment Report (including flora, fauna, wetland assessment, indigenous heritage, spring survey and black cockatoo habitat assessment);
  • Engineering Servicing Plan;
  • District Water Management Strategy;
  • Bulk Earthworks Strategy;
  • Development Contribution Arrangement Strategy;
  • Bushfire Management Plan;
  • Community Engagement Strategy and process;
  • Landscape Masterplan;
  • Transport Impact Assessment (including rail noise and vibration considerations); and
  • District Economic, Retail and Employment Strategy.

It will also be informed by a range of adopted and draft strategies, policies and studies prepared by State Government, and by the City, which provide context for the planning of the area, including those prepared recently to support the Local Planning Strategy.

The City is involved in undertaking mosquito monitoring which will inform the Mosquito Risk Assessment and Management Plan; and in preparing a Community Infrastructure Needs Assessment, which will help inform the District Structure Plan.

Once the District Structure Plan has been prepared, advertised for public comment and adopted by the City, it will be considered and approved by the Western Australian Planning Commission (WAPC).

Following approval to the District Structure Plan, land will be subject to Metropolitan Region Scheme and Local Planning Scheme Amendments, Structure Plans and other processes, prior to subdivision. These processes could take up to 10 years (or more) to be complete.

Project Updates

February 2024

The Lead Consultant, CDP Town Planning and Urban Design, has finalised a Background Report, which was forwarded to the Department of Planning Lands and Heritage (DPLH) at the end of 2023. The Background Report contained the findings of the technical investigations and stakeholder engagement to date, along with the Mosquito Risk Assessment and Management Plan (MRAMP). 

DPLH referred the Report to a number of Government agencies for review and comment. The matter is expected to be reported to the Western Australian Planning Commission (WAPC) in May 2024 for a ‘whole of Government’ direction as to how the DSP should proceed. The WAPC’s direction will then be reported to the next available Council meeting, likely to be June 2024. Should it be resolved that the project can proceed, the engagement and visioning process could commence in July 2024. 

The MRAMP has identified that mosquito risk (public health and nuisance) impacting the DSP area is more extensive than first thought, with Anstey Swamp and Paganoni Swamp providing evidence of mosquito breeding in significant numbers. As a result, the Project Team has identified a number of Development Scenarios which consider the possible implications of the monitoring outcomes, along with a suite of management tools. This approach aims to balance public health and nuisance risk, with the ability to develop land within the DSP area as envisaged by the South Metropolitan Peel Sub-Regional Planning Framework (Planning Framework).

Should you have any enquiries regarding the project, please do not hesitate to contact the City’s Project Lead, Sally Birkhead, Strategic Planning Consultant, at customer@rockingham.wa.gov.au or 9591 0828.

December 2023

The Lead Consultant, CDP Town Planning and Urban Design, is currently finalising a background report, which will be forwarded to the Department of Planning Lands and Heritage (DPLH) before the end of the year. The background report contains the summarised findings of the technical investigations and stakeholder engagement to date, along with the Mosquito Risk Assessment and Management Plan (MRAMP). 

Once received, DPLH will refer the documentation to a number of government agencies for review and comment. The matter will then be reported to the Western Australian Planning Commission (WAPC) which will provide a ‘whole of Government’ direction as to how the DSP should proceed.  At this stage, the City has been advised that WAPC will consider the matter in late March 2024.  The WAPC’s direction will then be reported to the next available Council meeting, likely to be May 2024. Should it be resolved that the project can proceed, the engagement and visioning process could commence in June 2024. 

The MRAMP has identified that mosquito risk (public health and nuisance) impacting the DSP area is more extensive than first thought, with Anstey Swamp and Paganoni Swamp providing evidence of mosquito breeding in significant numbers. As a result, the Project Team has identified a number of development scenarios which consider the possible implications of the monitoring outcomes, along with a suite of management tools.  This approach aims to balance public health and nuisance risk with the ability to develop land within the DSP area as envisaged by the South Metropolitan Peel Sub-Regional Planning Framework (Planning Framework).

Should you have any enquiries regarding the project, please do not hesitate to contact the City’s Project Lead, Sally Birkhead, Strategic Planning Consultant, at customer@rockingham.wa.gov.au or 9591 0828.

Keep updated

You can receive updates on this process by creating your own account on Rock Port, the City's secure online portal.  Once registered, you can opt in to the topic of interest category Karnup District Structure Plan (KDSP) via the My Profile page.

Register for updates

Frequently Asked Questions

What is happening in Karnup?

Along with some land already zoned ‘Urban Deferred’ on Stakehill Road, around 2000 hectares of land in Karnup has been identified as an ‘Urban Expansion Area’ by the State Government, within the South Metropolitan Peel Sub-regional Planning Framework (‘the Framework’). The land has been identified as a key future urban growth corridor within the south-west corridor of Metropolitan Perth since the 1980s.

The Framework requires the preparation of a District Structure Plan to guide future development within the area.

The City is leading the process and has engaged a Consultant Team to prepare the District Structure Plan.

What is a District Structure Plan?

A District Structure Plan provides a long-term vision for urban development in a particular area.  It is the culmination of extensive technical investigations, and consultation with community, local and State Government, and service providers.

The District Structure Plan will guide future land uses, identify the location of major roads, coordinate major community infrastructure, identify the location and size of activity centres, and identify the location distribution and size of open space to protect environmental assets and provide amenity to the community.

It also identifies matters to be addressed by subsequent planning stages and provides the basis for the preparation of (Local) Structure Plans over smaller precincts within the District Structure Plan area.

What key features will the District Structure Plan include?

The Planning Framework identifies the following key features for inclusion in the District Structure Plan:

  • a new District Activity Centre (ie. shopping centre);
  • a ‘Specialised Node’ as a strategic site for longer-term public uses, centrally located between Rockingham–Kwinana and Mandurah–Pinjarra, and providing for a range of regional public facilities which may include education, health and other future ancillary uses;
  • a 50 ha Regional Sporting Facility site;
  • a future railway station (Karnup Train Station) and associated transport connections; and
  • various changes to the regional transport hierarchy.

The District Structure Plan will also be informed by a range of adopted and draft strategies, policies and studies prepared by State Government, and by the City, which provide context for the planning of the area, including those prepared recently to support the Local Planning Strategy.

Why is the City preparing the District Structure Plan?

District Structure Plans can be prepared by landowners or stakeholders within a future urban area. In this instance, the City has committed to prepare the District Structure Plan to enable an independent and impartial view in achieving the best outcomes for the community.

Who is responsible for approving the District Structure Plan?

The Western Australian Planning Commission is responsible for approving the District Structure Plan.

When will the land in Karnup be developed?

Land in Karnup can be developed once these processes are complete:

  • District Structure Plan;
  • Metropolitan Region Scheme rezoning;
  • Local Planning Scheme rezoning;
  • Structure Plan(s);
  • Infrastructure contribution agreements (also called Development Contribution Agreements); and
  • Subdivision approval.

The above processes are expected to take a number of years to complete (possibly up to 10 years). Once the land is zoned and structure planning processes complete, it will be up to the individual landowners to determine when development occurs.

What is the process and the timeline for the District Structure Plan?

The process of preparing the District Structure Plan project is as follows:

  1. Background Assessment and Reporting: opportunities and constraints analysis including environmental considerations, bushfire, servicing, traffic and transport, Aboriginal heritage etc.
  2. Preparation of a Mosquito Risk Assessment and Management Plan (refer below)
  3. Referral of background report to the WAPC and Council
  4. Project Visioning: development of a project vision for the District Structure Plan which includes engagement with the community, Environmental Advisory Committee and Councillors
  5. Referral of community outcomes and vision report to Council
  6. Preparation of District Structure Plan
  7. Referral of draft District Structure Plan to Council, seeking consent to advertise
  8. Public advertising of draft District Structure Plan
  9. Review of submissions and final revision of draft District Structure Plan
  10. Referral of final draft District Structure Plan to Council, seeking endorsement of recommendation to WAPC
  11. Referral of District Structure Plan to WAPC, seeking approval

The initial stages of the project, comprising points 1-3 above, are expected to be completed in late 2023.

Depending on the outcome of the Mosquito Risk Assessment and Management Plan, the Project Visioning and other phases including community engagement, are expected to commence mid 2024.

Overall, the District Structure Plan is expected to take around three years to complete.

Can landowners be forced to sell their land to developers? Or be made to develop if they don't want to?

Landowners are not obligated to sell or develop their land, and may continue to occupy and use their land as they currently do (or are subsequently approved to do).

Individual landowners will have the option to either sell their land to a developer or a third party or develop their land themselves.

Land is usually only compulsorily acquired by State Government if it is required for a regional infrastructure purpose (such as a regional road or railway, or for regional open space, for example).

Will my rates increase?

Determining rates is very complex and involves a wide range of factors, some of which are the jurisdiction of the State Government. It is not possible to provide general advice as to whether, and by how much, rates may be affected by the preparation of the District Structure Plan.  

Rates are influenced by whether the property is assessed under Gross Rental Value (GRV) or Unimproved Value (UV), and this classification may change over time.  In addition, rate yield requirements and rates in the dollar is a decision made by Council through the annual budget adoption. These are matters the City is unable to be definitive about.

Information on how rates are calculated is available on the Rates page

Information on how property valuations are calculated by Landgate is available on the Landgate website.

What if my land is identified for a school or public open space?

In the process of preparing the District Structure Plan, the optimal location for uses such as major roads and other infrastructure, open space and community facilities, schools and activity centres is identified.

A district-wide infrastructure contribution plan (also called a Development Contribution Plan), expected to be administered by the City, will establish timeframes for the delivery of this infrastructure and how costs will be shared equitably amongst landowners. This is to ensure a fair and reasonable outcome so that one landowner is not disadvantaged over another because of the type of land use identified over their land.

What if I don't like the outcomes of the District Structure Plan over my land?

The preparation of the District Structure Plan will include a number of opportunities for landowners to provide their input into the Plan. This will include workshops and other consultation processes which are expected to commence during 2024.

In addition, the District Structure Plan is required to be advertised formally for public comment at which time landowners will have an opportunity to lodge a submission on the recommended outcomes for the land. The submissions will be formally considered by the Council and State Government, and in subsequent rezoning processes outlined above, by the Minister for Planning.

I'm concerned about the impact on the environment. Will the land be cleared of trees and other vegetation?

Identification of trees and other vegetation, particularly habitat trees, is a key requirement of the technical investigations which will inform preparation of the District Structure Plan. This work will include a Black Cockatoo Habitat Assessment. Consistent with the City’s sustainability framework, significant trees and other vegetation will be identified, and wherever possible, included within areas of open space, or within road reserves.  These areas provide the best chance of protecting existing vegetation.

It is relevant to note that preparation of the Planning Framework included consideration of environmental values at a strategic level, and resulted in several areas being excluded from 'Urban Expansion' area. This includes the exclusion of much of the Stakehill Special Rural Area and two areas of land within the District Structure Plan area from consideration for urban development (see below). 

Depending on the outcome of technical investigations undertaken to inform the District Structure Plan, the extent of the 'Urban' zone for future rezoning under the MRS may also change.

As part of the ‘Background Investigations’ phase of the project, appointed environmental consultants, Emerge Associates are seeking access to individual properties to assess and map the existing trees, flora, fauna and vegetation, and to determine if any trees provide habitat for black cockatoos. This information is necessary to supplement existing environmental information, to ultimately inform the preparation of the DSP.  While the City would encourage you to allow access to your property, there is no obligation to do so.

Allowing a survey of the trees is not likely to hinder future development of your land, in fact, the lack of survey information is more likely to delay development, as progressing the planning process relies on survey data for each property.  If the surveys do not occur as part of the current DSP process, they will be required at the Scheme Amendment and Local Structure Plan (LSP) level.  So the information with need to be gathered now or at the next stage of the planning process, although capturing it now helps inform the DSP process and is therefore preferred.

The Black Cockatoo survey will not only be looking for current nesting Black Cockatoos – the focus will more on the habitat viability of the trees. This is based on an assessment of tree species and size with any hollows that may be suitable for Black Cockatoo breeding also identified. The fact no breeding has been previously observed has no bearing on the potential for future use of a tree for breeding by Black Cockatoos.

It should also be noted that any of the existing trees on properties are not able to be legally removed without permission of the City in accordance with provisions in the City’s Town Planning Scheme (refer to ‘Trees on private property’ in this link: Trees - City of Rockingham). A clearing permit administered by the State Department of Water and Environmental Regulation under the Environmental Protection Act and potentially an approval under the Federal Environmental Protection and Biodiversity Conservation Act may also be required prior to removal of any tree.

Map indicating the project area.   Map indicating the project area.

   

There are a lot of mosquitos in the area, I'm worried about more residents moving in and being affected.

The study area borders the Serpentine River, where there are large tracts of saltmarsh providing mosquito breeding habitat. The City is currently undertaking a Mosquito Monitoring Program to understand the impact and extent of mosquitos affecting the area. 

The Project Team will be required to analyse the outcomes of the monitoring program, and prepare a Mosquito Management Plan and Risk Assessment in the initial stages of the project. The Management Plan will identify recommendations for the District Structure Plan to reduce exposure by future residents (and other occupants of the area) to offsite mosquito breeding, and to manage possible disease risk.

Following consideration of the outcomes by the Council and State Government, the implications of mosquitos on future urban development will be able to be understood and the project will either proceed based on the agreed scope, or pause until such time as the implications are understood and a path forward is identified.

What is happening to the land around the Karnup Train Station?

The State Government, through METRONET, is preparing a Precinct Structure Plan for the land adjacent to the proposed Karnup Station. A final draft Precinct Structure Plan has yet to be prepared and submitted to the City for assessment.

Officers from the City are members of a METRONET working party that is overseeing the preparation of the Precinct Structure Plan.

The District Structure Plan will consider the broader strategic issues that may impact on the Precinct Structure Plan. The implementation of the Precinct Structure Plan will be closely connected to the District Structure Plan outcomes.

When will the Karnup Train Station be built?

The Karnup Train Station will be constructed by the State Government and its timing for delivery is unknown to the City at this time.

My land sits outside the proposed 'Urban Expansion' Area, why am I included in the District Structure Plan Study Area?

A regular boundary has been identified for the Structure Plan area. Where land is not identified as Urban expansion, or Urban, matters such as interface and access will form part of the District Structure Plan considerations.

How can I be involved?

There will be a number of opportunities for the community to be involved in the preparation of the District Structure Plan. In the early stages of the project, the Project Team will prepare a Community Engagement Plan, consistent with the City’s procedures, which will inform the consultation process.

The engagement process will include two community workshops during the process, and there will be opportunities for formal comment through the statutory advertising process. 

Consultation is likely to commence during 2024, following the background review and preparation of the Mosquito Management Plan and Risk Assessment.

Where do I get more information?

These FAQs and the City’s website will be updated periodically while the District Structure Plan is being prepared.

Questions and comments can be lodged via Rock Port.

You can also contact the City’s Karnup District Structure Plan team with any enquiries on 9528 0333.

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