Draft local planning scheme aims to help growing Albany become a more compact city

A three-month public comment period has opened for the plan that will guide Albany’s development as a growing city.

Draft Local Planning Scheme 2 has been developed to replace Local Planning Scheme 1, originally adopted in 2014 to provide strategic direction to deliver a more liveable environment.

The adoption of a new local planning strategy by the City in 2019, which recommended a more compact city and changes to LPS1, led to the drafting of a new scheme.

Key changes highlighted by the City in the draft LPS2 include new zone, reserve and land use classifications; transitioning from “light industry” to “mixed use” for some precincts on the fringe of the CBD, and the removal of the “special residential’ zone.

City infrastructure, development and environment executive director Paul Camins said LPS2 would enable the City to adapt to future population growth and demand.

“The City wants to ensure that there is a plan for how our land is used in the coming years, that considers our growing population and diverse community needs,” he said.

Albany Mayor Dennis Wellington said during the development of the draft scheme it had been identified that a little more than a quarter of houses were home to only one person, while more than 76 per cent had three or more bedrooms.

“This tells us that it’s worth looking at changes to the zoning and density requirements of the new draft local planning scheme,” he said.

“This will aim to facilitate more one and two-bedroom residential dwellings in places closer to the centre of town or near shopping precincts to enable the provision of diverse affordable housing opportunities.

“Insights like these are going to ensure our City is where it needs to be in the years ahead.”

The public comment period is open until December 23.

Visit bit.ly/3fOmbtA to have your say on the plan.