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I N T R O D U C I N G

Liveable Neighbourhoods
Community Design Code
A W e s t e r n A u s t r a l i a n G o v e r n m e n t S us t a i n a b l e Ci t i e s I n i t i at i ve

F O R T E S T IN G A N D R E V IE W
 Liveable Neighbourhoods
Introduction
L An innovative approach
iveable Neighbourhoods:
Community Design Code or
Community Design Code for
short - has been introduced to
provide an alternative approach to the
design of neighbourhoods and towns
that aims to achieve compact, better
defined and more sustainable urban
communities.
The Community Design Code
encourages:
◗ a wide variety of housing;
◗ a wide variety of local employment
opportunity;
◗ a sense of community focused on
walkable neighbourhoods and
towns; and
◗ support for public transport.
The Community Design Code aims to
achieve better environments that are
more sustainable, more liveable and
more suited to the shape of our future
community.
Why the Community
Design Code was
prepared
The Western Australian Planning
Commission prepared the State
Planning Strategy to guide sustainable
development to the year 2029. The
Community Design Code is intended to
deliver the multifaceted objectives of
that Strategy through its role as an
integrated development control policy
for structure plans and subdivision
design.
An innovative approach
The Community Design Code provides an innovative
approach to planning and design by:
◗ seeking a more thorough analysis of the site and its
context to inform subdivision design and graphically
explain the basis of the design;
◗ encouraging greater use of structure plans as a
planning framework;
◗ providing an alternative approach to design of
neighbourhoods and towns that aims to achieve
compact, well defined and more sustainable urban
communities; and
◗ moving toward a performance approach to
subdivision to encourage innovation in response to
market needs.
Where the Community Design
Code applies
The Community Design Code is an assessment tool for
structure plans and subdivision in new urban
(predominantly residential) development in the
metropolitan area and country centres, where two or
more lots are created on greenfields sites at the urban
edge, or on large urban infill sites within developed
areas.
An alternative policy for
testing and review
Edition 1 of the Community Design Code has been
released for a12 month period of testing and review.
It is intended as an alternative to current subdivision
policies, operating alongside existing policies under
which conventional proposals will continue to be
assessed. The choice of approach is up to the
applicant.
Developers are encouraged to test the Community
Design Code approach through the delivery of
projects.
It is anticipated that the Community Design Code will
be adopted as a Section 5AA Statement of Planning
Policy after final review and amendment.
 Liveable Neighbourhoods
Key design features
The Community Design Code
approach to sustainable communities
incorporates:
◗ a site responsive approach to enhance local
identity and protect natural assets and
distinctive features;
◗ a regional structure of neighbourhoods that
cluster to form towns;
◗ neighbourhood and town centres located on
main streets that provide public transport
and link the centres;
◗ neighbourhoods that are compact, well
defined and walkable, sized for a five
minute walk to the neighbourhood centre
from most homes;
◗ a mix of uses so that many daily needs may
be met locally and local employment
opportunities provided;
◗ community focus on a
neighbourhood centre with
clustering of activities and some
provision of daily needs;
◗ an interconnected street system
catering for pedestrians, cyclists
and drivers, with direct access and
route choices;
◗ development frontage to all streets,
parkland and other open spaces to
enhance personal safety and the
streetscape;
◗ a diversity of lot types and housing types
with scope for intensification over time; and
◗ convenient and suitable parkland within
walking distance of most homes, with
integrated urban water management.
Significant changes
The Community Design Code introduces some significant
changes:
◗ scope for a 10% variation in the minimum lot size
allowed under the R Codes;
◗ use of Building and Access Guidelines for small lots and
special sites to replace the need for development
approval as a condition of subdivision approval;
◗ potential reduction of the 10% public open space
contribution to 8% where the Code provisions are met,
and any local neighbourhood parks developed and
maintained for at least two summers, and reserves ceded
as required; and
◗ additional information requirements to accompany
proposals.
Performance approach
The Community Design Code is a move toward a
performance based code. This gives greater flexibility to
developers and designers to meet market demands.
Objectives and the majority of Requirements may be
satisfied in a number of ways i.e. responses may
demonstrate how they perform to achieve
the desired outcomes.
Structure of the
Community Design Code
Planning and design aspects of land development are
grouped into six Elements:
E1 Community Design
E2 Movement Network
E3 Lot Layout
E4 Public Parkland
E5 Urban Water Management
E6 Utilities.
Each Element has two components:
◗ Objectives which describe the principal aims of each
Element; and
◗ Requirements which present a
range of qualitative and
quantitative responses to
meeting the Objectives.
The Requirements
are phrased in
two ways:
◗ Matters that should be
considered, where there are a
range of design solutions; and
◗ Matters that must be satisfied,
where a particular response is
required.
 Liveable Neighbourhoods

Compliance
For structure plans and larger subdivisions the
primary measure of compliance is achieving the
Objectives and Requirements of Element 1
Community Design. Compliance with the balance of
the Element Objectives and Requirements should
follow this. Smaller scale subdivisions must comply

Community design
with all relevant Element Objectives and all
mandatory Requirements.

Inconsistencies
Where a proposal is being assessed under the
Community Design Code option and the Commission
is satisfied that the principles of the Code are
incorporated, the Code will prevail over any
inconsistencies in other policies.
The Commission recognises that inconsistencies may
arise between the Community Design Code and
existing strategic and statutory structure plans and/or
local government planning schemes.
These should be discussed at an early stage with the
local government and Ministry for Planning.

Relationship to R Codes
The Residential Planning Codes of Western Australia
(R Codes) control residential development in terms
of built form and housing density. The Community
Design Code applies to the broader design of urban Information and submissions
form and subdivision layouts for predominantly
residential areas. Where inconsistencies arise
between the Community Design Code and the Written comments and submissions are
mandatory provisions of the R Codes, the R Codes welcome and may be sent to:
shall prevail. Director
Planning Implementation
Ministry for Planning
Information and training Albert Facey House
469 Wellington Street
If you would like to be on our mailing list for updates Perth W.A. 6000
about Liveable Neighbourhoods: Community Design Fax (08) 9264 7566
Code, or have further questions, contact:
the Ministry for Planning Regional Office responsible for
your area.
or Stephen Thorne © State of Western Australia
Senior Urban Designer Published by the
Ministry for Planning Western Australian Planning Commission
Tel. (08) 9264 7653 Albert Facey House
469 Wellington Street
Perth, Western Australia 6000
For regular newsletters outlining news and infomation
Published December 1997
about Liveable Neighbourhoods, ring (08) 9263 7601.
ISBN O 7309 7799 4
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concepts and try out designing with Liveable http://www.wa.gov.au/gov/planning
Neighbourhoods, ring (08) 9263 7601 about being E-mail: Corporate@planning.wa.gov.au
included in a design workshop in Perth or a regional Fax: (08) 9264 7566
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TTY: (08) 9264 7535
Curtin University is holding an accredited short course Infoline:1800 626 477
in Liveable Neighbourhood principles in February 1998. Copies of this document are available in
For a strictly limited place, contact Carey Curtis on alternative formats on application to the
(08) 9266 7259. Disability Services Coordinator

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for the design and assessment of proposals under
Liveable Neighbourhoods. Contact (08) 9264 7653 if you
would like help.