Swan Valley Planning Committee

The Swan Valley Planning Committee (SVPC) is NOT a committee of the Western Australian Planning Commission (WAPC) and is created under the Swan Valley Planning Act 1995 (the Act).  The Chairperson of the WAPC is a member of the SVPC (ex officio) or may nominate some other person to represent the Commission on the Committee.

• Basis for the Swan Valley Planning Committee
• Delineation of Planning Areas in the Swan Valley
• Planning Objectives for the Swan Valley
• Functions
• Objectives
• Evidence of advice or submission
• Membership
• Access to information

Basis for the Swan Valley Planning Committee

The Swan Valley Planning Committee advises the City of Swan and the Western Australian Planning Commission on land use planning and land development in the area known as the Swan Valley. The Committee is also charged with prescribing planning and development objectives for the various parts of the Valley in accordance with the objectives of the Swan Valley Planning Act 1995.

Delineation of Planning Areas in the Swan Valley

The Act defines the Swan Valley by way of a map (see below) and is divided into three planning areas as follows:

 
Click to enlarge image (gif 35 kb)

The plan of the Swan Valley is held at the offices of the Department and the City of Swan.  The Minister certifies the plan for Planning and Infrastructure as being the plan prepared to define Areas for the purposes of the Act.

back to top

Planning Objectives for the Swan Valley

The general planning objectives for the areas contained within the Swan Valley are:

• the encouragement of the traditional agricultural and other productive uses of the area that complement its rural character;
• the protection of the environment and the character of the area;
• the reduction of nutrient levels in the Swan River; and
• the promotion of tourism that compliments the rural character of the Swan Valley

Functions

The Functions of the Committee are:

(a) to provide advice in accordance with
(i) section 15(2) of the Swan Valley Planning Act 1995;
(ii) sections 40, 47, 78 and 134 of the Planning and Development Act 2005; and
(iii) clause 30B of the Metropolitan Region Scheme as defined in the Planning and Development Act 2005;

(aa) to advise the Minister on the coordination and promotion of sustainable  use and development of land in the Swan Valley;

(ab) to provide advice to the City of Swan in relation to
(i) the local planning scheme and policies of the City of Swan; and
(ii) the planning and development functions of the City of Swan;

(ac) to provide advice on, and assistance to, any body or person in relation to sustainable use and development of land in the Swan Valley;

(b) to make submissions under section 53(2) of the Swan River Trust Act 1988;

(c) to provide advice to a public authority or utility services provider on any matter relating to the Swan Valley that is referred to it by that public authority or utility services provider;

(d) where a public authority or utility services provider has power to carry out remedial or improvement works on land in the Swan Valley or to provide funds for such works, at the request of the public authority or utility services provider to provide advice to it as to the exercise of that power;

(e) where a public authority or utility services provider has power to enter into agreements as to the management of private land in the Swan Valley by the owner or occupier, at the request of the public authority or utility services provider to provide advice to it as to the exercise of that power; and

(f) to provide advice to the City of Swan on ways of  introducing differential rating in the Swan Valley in order to encourage viticulture and any other activity in keeping with the objectives for the area.

back to top

Objective:

“public authority” includes the City of Swan; “utility services” means drainage services, electricity services, sewerage or water services, or other prescribed services.

Objectives
In providing the advice referred to in section 13(1)(a) or making a submission referred to in section 13(1)(b) in respect of any planning or development proposal the Committee is to seek to ensure that the proposal is consistent with the objectives set out in sections 7, 8 or 9 that apply to that proposal.

Referral to Committee of development application under the Shire of Swan town planning scheme

(1) Where an application is made to the City of Swan under the local planning scheme for development approval relating to land in the Swan Valley the City of Swan, unless subsection (5) applies, is to give full particulars of the application to the Swan Valley Planning Committee.

(2) The Committee, within 42 days after the day on which it receives particulars of an application or within such longer period as the City of Swan allows, is to give to the City of Swan its advice in writing on how the application should be determined, including any conditions to which any approval should be made subject.

(3) If the Committee fails to give its advice within the time allowed under subsection (2), it shall be taken to have no advice to give on the application.

(4) The City of Swan is to have due regard to the advice of the Committee but may determine the application otherwise than in accordance with that advice.

(5) The Committee may determine that any particular class or description of applications for development approval need not be referred to the Committee for advice under this section and is to notify the City of Swan of any such determination.

(6) This section has effect despite anything in the local planning scheme.

(7) Subsection (1) does not apply to any application for development approval made before the commencement of this section.

back to top

Evidence of advice or submission

(1) A statement setting out the advice of the Committee or a submission made by the Committee is sufficient evidence of that advice or that submission if it is signed on behalf of the Committee —

(a) by the chairperson; or
(b) by some other person authorised by the Committee to sign the statement.

(2) A statement purporting to be signed by the chairperson or a person referred to in subsection (1)(b) is to be presumed to be duly signed until the contrary is shown.

Membership

Created under Section 11 (1) of the Swan Valley Planning Act 1995, members have been appointed by the Minister for Planning.

• Swan Valley Planning Act 1995 (pdf 2.7 MB)

back to top

Access to information:

Advice and reports to be open for inspection

Section 24 of the Swan Valley Planning Act 1995 states:

(1) The Committee is to cause a separate record to be kept of any advice given or report made by it in performance of its functions.

(2) The record referred to in subsection (1) is to be available for inspection by members of the public during normal office hours on payment of the prescribed fee.

Access to inspect applications:
Members of the public may submit formal applications to inspect documents held by the Swan Valley Planning Committee. A formal application for information must be:

• In writing;
• Give specific details of information required for inspection with reference to the meeting date;
• Accompanied by a $10 application fee.

Secretary
Swan Valley Planning Committee
L6/Albert Facey House
469-489 Wellington Street
PERTH WA 6000

• Application for inspection of documents relating to SVPC (pdf 18 kb)

Anneliese Ozorio
Secretary
Swan Valley Planning Committee
L6/Albert Facey House
469-489 Wellington Street
PERTH WA 6000

Phone: (08) 9264 7569

By Post:

Secretary
Swan Valley Planning Committee
L6/Albert Facey House
469 Wellington Street
PERTH WA 6000

back to top