New look Urban Development Index launched
UDIA was pleased to release a fresh new version of our highly valued Urban Development Index (UDI) on Tuesday that can be downloaded here. This quarterly publication outlining residential land market activity has been referenced by our members for decades and provides unique insight into what is happening ‘on the ground’ in terms of sales and construction activity.
The revised UDI publication provides a clear and concise snapshot of activity in the Perth Metropolitan area and the regions that is sourced from UDIA’s comprehensive survey of developer members. The new look report also includes market commentary provided by our Research Partner Urbis covering expectations for future market activity as well as an explanation around current conditions.
The scaled back version of the report has been released following the launch of the UDI Dashboard that is now hosted online on the Urbis Loop Platform. UDIA members have complimentary access to all the UDI data, including historical data, via the Loop here.
The dashboard has been recently updated to include a drill down function from the Executive Summary table that allows users to easily view all corridors or areas selected. This also allows you to drill down to a local government area level and makes viewing and making comparisons much easier for users.
UDIA members require a unique login to view the UDIA data on the Loop dashboard. If you do not already have a login, please contact udia@udiawa.com.au and we can arrange your access.
Thanks to our Research Partners Urbis and Landgate for supporting the delivery of this important information to our members each quarter.
Action Plan for Planning Reform released
The Minister for Planning, the Hon Rita Saffioti MLA, released the long-awaited Action Plan for Reform of the Western Australian planning system on Tuesday. The action plan is built around three key themes: consistent; efficient; and accountable and transparent. The action plan sets out 19 reform actions of which the WAPC have stated the timing and sequencing of delivery will be staged according to the priorities and capacity of government and the wider planning industry, with consideration given to the interdependency of various reform initiatives.
The WAPC have set out a three-year timeframe for delivering the reforms and is currently preparing the necessary legislative amendments to support the reforms. This will be followed by engagement and options analysis, with pilot projects expected to be delivered in 2020/2021. A further round of legislative amendments is scheduled for 2021-22.
UDIA welcomed the Minister and WAPC’s commitment to delivering planning reform and we are pleased that the need to provide greater consistency, efficiency and transparency has been recognised. Whilst the removal of the ‘planning reform white paper’ from the reform process reduces opportunity for stakeholder engagement, is does expedite the adoption of the reform measures.
While we are yet to undertake a detailed analysis of the reforms, it is pleasing that many of the reform measures are focused on the implementation of the planning system and improving consistency and certainty of outcome. These issues were central to our response to the Green Paper.
Download the action plan and associated documents here.
Precinct Design Policy out for consultation
As part of the Design WA Stage 2, the state government has released three documents in relation to Precinct Design that are now open for public consultation. These include:
- Draft State Planning Policy 7.2: Precinct Design
- Draft State Planning Policy 7.2: Precinct Design Guidelines
- Precinct Design Planning Framework Discussion Paper
UDIA has welcomed the release of these documents for consultation and we will be preparing a submission on behalf of members. We welcome member feedback to inform our submission to policy@udiawa.com.au
Download the relevant policy and papers here.
Engaging and networking 101
On Thursday 8th August UDIA Outlook held an essential masterclass, facilitated by Alison Fernandes, for young industry professionals on engaging with others and building rapport. Alison was returning to Perth by popular demand, after a successful event with us last year.
The event offered an interactive experience for attendees which got them out of their chairs and learning practical skills and techniques to enhance their ability to connect with others in a workplace environment. Importantly, participants were given an immediate chance to practice their new skills at networking drinks at The George directly after the workshop.
This was a fantastic way to brush up on building business networks, improving confidence and meeting other industry professionals.
Thank you to UDIA Outlook Partners Cedar Woods and Now Living for their support of the event.
UDIA announces Awards for Excellence nominees
UDIA has launched a list of nominated projects for the 2019 Awards for Excellence with winners to be announced at our gala event on Saturday 21 September. The award judges have completed their site tours of all nominated projects and are now deliberating on the finalists and winners.
If you would like to view the full list of those in the running for a prestigious industry award this year, download the Nominated Projects booklet here.
To attend the gala event and be the first to hear the winners and finalists announced, find out more details here.
Infrastructure Australia reveals audit results
According to our UDIA National Executive Director Connie Kirk, the case for overhauling the planning, funding and delivery of infrastructure to meet the needs of modern, growing cities is the stark lesson of Infrastructure Australia’s recently released Infrastructure Audit.
The report provides a major stocktake of the challenges and opportunities facing Australia’s infrastructure over the next 15 years and beyond and highlights several key themes, including:
- Despite an increased pipeline of infrastructure spending, the nation is still facing a widening gap against the investment required to maintain prosperity and quality of life
- The role of technology is transforming the shape and complexity of infrastructure delivery – with particularly large implications for the energy and transport sectors
- There is a risk that the cost of road congestion will double over the next 15 years without remedy, particularly in the four fastest growing capital cities
- All tiers of government need to rethink their approach to the planning, funding and delivery of infrastructure.
In terms of Western Australia in particular, the report highlights a 77 per cent reduction in the forecast annual congestion costs compared to the previous audit in 2015. According to IA, this is due to reduced population growth following the mining boom.
The detailed report can be downloaded here.
Strata regulations public comment period open soon
A public consultation period will open from 1 September 2019 on the changes to WA’s strata framework including the proposed regulations for the Strata Titles Amendment Act 2018.
UDIA will be making a submission on behalf of members on the regulations and we welcome comment or feedback to policy@udiawa.com.au
Visit here for more detailed information about the strata reform process.
Len Kosova appointed new commissioner for City of Perth
Len Kosova has been appointed as a new City of Perth Commissioner, to join fellow Commissioner, Mr Andrew Hammond and Deputy Commissioner, Ms Gaye McMath.
Mr Kosova is an urban and regional town planner and former CEO of the City of Vincent who has extensive experience at senior levels of local government, having worked at the Cities of Wanneroo and Gosnells, and the Shire of Mundaring.
City of Perth Commissioner Chair Eric Lumsden recently announced he was stepping down from the role.
The Commissioners will remain in place at the City of Perth for the duration of the Panel of Inquiry.
The City of Perth Council continue to be suspended until the Inquiry Panel report has been considered and appropriate orders have been made to either reinstate or dismiss the Council.
We value your feedback!
UDIA is currently working on several submissions on behalf of members. We encourage you to forward any feedback on these items to policy@udiawa.com.au
- DWER issues paper ‘Waste not, want not: valuing waste as a resource’ out for comment (here). Submissions close Wednesday 4 September, 2019.
- Draft State Planning Policy 3.6 – Infrastructure contributions (here). Submissions close Monday 2 September, 2019.
Revised fee structure: Western Power
Western Power has advised that their revised fee structure that includes an upfront application fee, new design fees and revised information/conformance service fees for distribution customer projects will come into effect at midnight on Friday 16 August.
The revised fee structure was delayed from earlier this year and will apply to new connections, modifying a power supply, isolations, relocations, unmetered supplies and external design and construct.
Fees will be reviewed on an annual basis and more details can be found here.
Housing aspirations of young Australians
The Australian Housing and Urban Research Institute (AHURI) has released a research paper investigating short and longer term housing aspirations and the housing aspirations gap among young emerging (18–24 years) and early adults (25–34 years).
According to the survey results, the majority of emerging adults identify owner-occupation (60%) as their ideal. Specifically, 54% aspire to live in a house and 34% in an apartment.
For early adults, the aspiration for owner-occupation increases to 70 per cent, but by this stage the income and education divide in being able to meet such aspirations becomes starker, with far greater proportions of degree-educated households being confident they can obtain ownership within five years compared to those educated to year 12 and below.
The report notes that most young adults enter the rental and home purchaser markets when their incomes are low but upfront housing expenses high. As house prices and rents have risen ahead of incomes the time taken to attain secure independence in housing has become extended for most, while for some is not attainable in the foreseeable future.
The report provides policy development options to enable more young people into home ownership and can be downloaded here.
Site security update
July crime statistic have seen a slight reduction in reported offences over the period, see more here.
Display homes in Banksia Grove have been targeted recently with 4 to 5 offenders breaking into a display in Beethovan Street on Tuesday morning. Offenders stole a plasma TV and caused significant damage to the front door after it was kicked in. In another incident a single offender removed external lighting from a display in the same street.
In other recent offences, offenders targeted a building site in the Spires Private Estate stealing 23 boxes of floor tiles, floor waste hardware and 2 basins. Whist near the One Tree Private Estate, offenders broke into a site and stole a uninstalled rangehood, hotplate and hot water system.
For more information on building and construction industry go to https://www.pactsitesecurity.com.au/