Welcome back!
The team at UDIA WA is pleased to be back on deck this week, ready to start the New Year on a positive note. To that end, media coverage this week focused on the latest research undertaken by UDIA on market cycles and the clear relationship we have identified between mining exploration expenditure and dwelling commencements in WA.
UDIA is committed to ensuring that the value of the property industry to the broader economy is appreciated by all stakeholders and that we can provide solid evidence to reinforce our positive predictions for the market moving forward.
See our media release for more details here.
Urban Growth Monitor released
The tenth edition of the Western Australian Planning Commission’s Urban Growth Monitor, which tracks zoned land supply and land consumption through development for the Perth metropolitan, Peel and Greater Bunbury regions, was released today.
This edition presents information relating to zoned land supply calculated as at 31 December 2017.
See more here
Perth and Peel Frameworks implementation update
UDIA received a letter from Director General of the Department of Planning, Lands and Heritage Gail McGowan in late December responding to our request for further information regarding the implementation of the Perth and Peel @ 3.5 million sub regional planning frameworks.
In the letter, Ms McGowan advises that investigations into the suitability for a change in land use within the Planning Investigation Areas (PIAs) will be led by the WAPC and carried out by DPLH. Work has commenced on these areas and it is noted in the letter that each of the Perth and Peel sub-regions contains sufficient zoned and planned urban and employment land to accommodate growth to 2031.
Ms McGowan does suggest that a landowner can undertake their own investigations and provide information to DPLH, and landowners and the community will have input into future decision making regarding the WAPC led investigations in the PIAs.
UDIA will continue to represent members in this area and a special advisory group has been established to analyse industry related issues.
Landgate commercialisation process proceeds
The state government has advised that the next stage for Landgate’s partial commercialisation has commenced with the process of securing a private operator to provide certain automated services to Landgate.
An Expression of Interest has been released for potential service providers to demonstrate their interest and capability to deliver automated titling services for a 40 to 50 year term. It is expected a service provider will be appointed in late 2019.
Commercialised services will be subject to capped pricing and minimum service standards set by the State. Landgate will continue to operate as a statutory authority and oversee the performance of the service provider while continuing to deliver all non-automated land titling transactions, property valuations and location information services to the Western Australian community.
Tourism and bushfire prone areas
The state government is seeking comment on the draft Position Statement: Tourism Land Uses in Bushfire Prone Areas. The draft statement aims to facilitate tourism land uses that are consistent with local planning strategies and provide a decision-making framework to ensure consideration of bushfire risk that is appropriate to and cognisant of the use.
UDIA will be making a formal submission on behalf of members prior to the closing date of 20 March, 2019. If you have any comments or feedback for inclusion in our submission, please email policy@udiawa.com.au.
More information on the draft statement here.
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 Review of thresholds for uncontaminated fill – Consultation paper (available here). Submissions close Friday 18 January, 2019.
Draft SPP 2.4 Basic Raw Materials (available here). Submissions close Friday 25 January, 2019.
Building approvals on the rise
According to the latest Australian Bureau of Statistics data released yesterday, Western Australian building approvals for houses increased 8.1% month-on-month in November (MoM) and 3.8% from the same time last year to 1,145. Of this number, 946 of these approvals were located in Greater Perth, an increase of 6.2% MoM and 5.7% year-on-year (YoY) for the region.
The total value of residential building jobs in WA rose 1.2% over November to $427.6 million, 28.1% down from the same time last year. Included within this total: the value of jobs for new construction increased 0.9% MoM to $375.3 million, down 28.1% YoY; and the value of building jobs for alterations and additions (inc. conversions) also increased 3.4% MoM and fell 28.4% YoY to sit at $52.3 million.
The value of private sector building jobs for new WA houses increased 13.9% in November to $339.7 million, 11.3% higher than the same time in 2017 and 11.1% above the twelve-month average.
Highest house price growth suburbs revealed
According to new data from REIWA, Brabham, Madora Bay and Mount Pleasant are in the top three of the top 10 Perth suburbs to have achieved the largest increase in median house price in 2018.
In a reflection of how the premium sector is leading the market recovery in Western Australia, Brabham was the only suburb with a median house price below the overall Perth market median, while seven of the 10 suburbs had median house prices above $800,000, with four of those seven being in the $1 million and above price range.
For the full list visit here.
Perth a must visit destination
Perth has featured at number 43 on the New York Times must visit places in 2019. Highlighting Yagan Square, Optus Stadium, Raine Square and the raft of new hotels and small bars that have opened in recent times, the article dubs Perth as ‘a city transformed and enlivened’.
Read more here.
Private sector developer sought for East Keralup land
The State Government is undertaking a Registration of Interest (ROI) process to identify future land use options for a 1,608-hectare portion of its East Keralup landholding near Mandurah.
The ROI is an invitation for the private sector to submit concept proposals for a project that will lease, or partly lease portions of the site.
East Keralup’s southern part is located in the Shire of Murray and is part of the rapidly developing Peel region. The site is about 17 kilometres south-east of Rockingham, 10 kilometres north-east of Mandurah and 20 kilometres north-west of Pinjarra.
The Government is keen to identify opportunities for passive and active recreational use of the site, and wants to incorporate and maximise the area’s natural features including its topography, drainage corridors, wetlands and vegetation.
A wide range of development options and uses may be considered but they must be sensitive to the local ecology and environment. Urban use or proposals for traditional in-ground agriculture will not be considered.
The call for ROI is managed by the Department of Communities, and the invitation for submissions closes on February 1, 2019. For more information, email east.keralup.future.use@housing.wa.gov.au and to view the ROI document, visit http://www.tenders.wa.gov.au