Home›Questions on Notice›QoN 4325

❓ Hon Sue Ellery questions the Minister for Planning regarding increased development contributions in Dayton and Brabham due to the Department of Education deferring school construction, impacting shared recreation space funding. The Minister acknowledges the situation and outlines the policy context.

AnsweredQoN 4325Legislative Council

Asked

25 August 2016

Member

Hon Sue Ellery

Portfolio

Planning

QuestionView source ↗

(1) Is the Minister aware, that as a result of a decision by the Department of Education not to proceed to develop schools on land reserved for that purpose in the City of Swan, in Dayton and Brabham, that the City of Swan increased development contributions to cover the costs of recreation space which otherwise would have been shared between the contribution of the Department of Education and the City of Swan for shared open space attached to schools? (2) Does the Minister agree that landowners should be forced to pay more for infrastructure that the Department of Education had committed to contribute to? (3) Is this a breakdown in the planning relationship between the Department of Planning and the Department of Education?

AnswerView source ↗

Answered

11 October 2016

Responded by

Minister for Planning

Response time

47 days

(1) I have been advised of the City’s decision. (2) The City of Swan, as part of its required annual Development Contribution Plan (DCP) review, has adjusted the development contribution for public open space as a result of deferral of construction of the identified primary schools by the Department of Education (DoE). Under Western Australian Planning Commission (WAPC) policy, landowners are required to provide 10 per cent of developable land (or cash in lieu of that amount) for public open space and, as required, up to four hectares for the provision of a primary school. The DoE’s agreement to provide for shared use playing fields allows a portion of the primary school allocation to contribute towards the 10 per cent public open space, reducing the amount of land or cash payable by landowners. DOE contributes to the development of the playing fields when this occurs with the development of the new school. However, as timing of construction of the school by DoE is unknown, the DoE contribution has had to be removed from the DCP. This has resulted in development contributions payable by developers in Dayton and Brabham being increased back to the standard 10 per cent public open space contribution required under WAPC policy. (3) The Department of Planning, DoE and local government continue to work together to ensure shared use active recreation areas are provided in a timely manner.

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