mra.wa.gov.au

ATTRACTIVE INVESTMENT OPPORTUNITIES

FOR SALECorner William and Aberdeen Streets, Northbridge

• Five heritage buildings with multiple tenancies and ongoing revenue streams

• Prominent location in Northbridge neighbourhood next to Perth CBD, Perth Cultural Centre, train and bus stations

• Sold as a ‘going concern’ and available individually or in one line

• Offers to Purchase close 2.30pm (AWST) Monday 18 December 2017

Contact Colliers International for more information or to book an inspection:

Nicholas Agapitos: 0434 659 808 | Tim Scott: 0434 659 825

Local Knowledge � National Strength rhc.com.au/wa

INVESTMENT SALE

MULTI NATIONAL TENANT• Annual Rent $371,670 p.a.

• Leased until end June 2025

• Northlink Industrial Estate - off Ocean Reef Road

Offers Close 12th December 2017Daniel Romeo 0432 238 595

Anthony Vulinovich 0411 516 343

Office 6444 7200

• Exceptional Investment Opportunity

• New seven year lease to Westland Autos (Nissan/Ford/Mitsubishi � VW)

• Over Four Titles

• Rental Income: $340,000 p.a. net � GST

For Sale by Offers Invited (Closing Thursday 30th November 2017 - 4pm)

FOR SALE

Andrew Zafer0438 918 906

9080 9207

Terry Menage0413 046 317

6444 7200

179 – 187 Boulder Road, Kalgoorlie

96 Wednesday, November 15, 2017PROPERTY

There is a growing call for consis-tency in the approach to designreview panels. Each local govern-ment DRP has formed independent-ly, so approaches vary.

Expertise of panellists varies, theprocess varies, with some feedingback to planning staff and othersinviting developers and designersto take part in the discussion.

Ensuring that due regard is paidto DRP reporting in developmentassessment panel and State Admin-istrative Tribunal hearings is criti-cal to providing certainty fordevelopers. Many local govern-ments now include provisions intheir schemes to improve consisten-cy in evaluations of design qualitybetween DRP, DAP and SAT deci-sion making.

The consistency and quality ofexisting policy is a challenge forDRPs. The former City of Vincentmayor and now McGowan Govern-ment minister Alannah MacTier-nan observed some years ago thatthe State Government’s ResidentialDesign Codes and the Building Codeof Australia allowed for “some verypoor” outcomes.

Local council policies on multi-residential development vary.

In 2016, the WA Planning Com-mission and Department of Plan-ning Land and Heritage releasedtheir Design WA suite of draft

policies — after extensive stake-holder engagement and collabora-tion between the DPLH and Officeof the Government Architect.

The draft defines and confirmsthe importance of design quality inall new development projects.

It introduces skilled evaluationexpertise through design review, asa key component of the proposeddesign quality mechanisms. Thedraft SPP7 also introduces 10 designprinciples to guide the delivery ofplaces that work well for all usersand make a positive contribution totheir locality. The draft designreview guide encourages consisten-cy in design review.

Use of design review allows thedraft apartment design policy to beperformance-based and outcomes-focused, offering developers flexi-bility. For each local government, italleviates the need for local policiesto guide general design quality pre-viously lacking in the ResidentialDesign Codes.

For many developers, Design WAis just business-as-usual. Othersmay need to pay more attention todesign outcomes. Improved consis-tency should cut red tape.

Evidence of the positive work ofDRPs are emerging through betteroutcomes and the benefits are nowwidely appreciated. Design WA of-fers great support for DRPs whilealso setting a much-needed baselinestandard for liveability.

Design review can cut red tape

Design WA was launched at The Pocket, designed by Cameron Chisholm Nicol. Picture: Greg Hocking

STREET WISE� Carmel Van Ruth

.........................................................................................� Carmel Van Ruth is a senior architecture

officer in the Office of theGovernment Architect

Design review benefits developers, designers, councils and communities.