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| Department of Planning, Lands and Heritage | |
|---|---|
| Name | Department of Planning, Lands and Heritage |
| Type | Government department |
| Formed | 2017 |
| Jurisdiction | Western Australia |
| Headquarters | Perth |
| Minister | Minister for Planning |
| Chief1 name | Director General |
| Parent agency | Government of Western Australia |
Department of Planning, Lands and Heritage The Department of Planning, Lands and Heritage is an administrative body of the Western Australian public sector responsible for spatial planning, land administration, heritage conservation and Aboriginal cultural heritage. It interacts with statutory authorities such as the Western Australian Planning Commission, local governments including the City of Perth, and federal entities like the Commonwealth Department of Infrastructure, Transport, Regional Development and Communications. The department operates across metropolitan and regional contexts including the Kimberley, Pilbara and Goldfields-Esperance regions and engages with institutions such as the University of Western Australia, Curtin University and Murdoch University.
The department was established in 2017 following machinery-of-government changes influenced by precedents like the 2009 amalgamation that formed the Department of Planning and Infrastructure and the 2013 restructuring associated with the Barnett Ministry. Its formation drew on legacy agencies including the Department of Lands, Heritage Council of Western Australia and the Office of the Government Architect, reflecting administrative lineage linked to the Western Australian Planning Commission, the Metropolitan Region Scheme, and initiatives originated during the Tonkin and Court administrations. Key historical milestones intersect with projects such as the Perth City Link, Elizabeth Quay, Forrest Place redevelopment, the Midland Redevelopment Authority, and state strategic plans shaped during the Carpenter and McGowan administrations.
The department administers land titling and cadastral functions in coordination with Landgate, manages Aboriginal cultural heritage in liaison with the Aboriginal Affairs Department and the Aboriginal Heritage Act, and oversees heritage registers maintained alongside the Heritage Council of Western Australia and the National Trust of Australia (WA). It implements planning instruments including the State Planning Strategy, state planning policies, the Metropolitan Region Scheme and local planning schemes, working with the Western Australian Local Government Association, City of Fremantle, Shire of Broome and regional development commissions such as the Pilbara Development Commission. Responsibilities extend to coordinating statutory approvals under environmental frameworks involving the Environmental Protection Authority, the Department of Water and Environmental Regulation, and infrastructure planning linked to Main Roads Western Australia, Public Transport Authority and Infrastructure Australia.
Organisationally the department comprises divisions related to planning, land services, heritage and Aboriginal engagement, corporate services and regional operations, reporting to a Director General and ministerial portfolio including the Minister for Lands and Minister for Heritage. It interfaces with statutory bodies such as the Western Australian Planning Commission, the Aboriginal Cultural Heritage Advisory Committee and the Heritage Council, and works with agencies like Landgate, DevelopmentWA, Water Corporation, Horizon Power and Synergy. Regional offices collaborate with local governments including the City of Kalgoorlie-Boulder, Shire of Esperance, Shire of Derby-West Kimberley and state entities like the Department of Primary Industries and Regional Development.
Major initiatives include metropolitan planning projects like Perth and Peel @ 3.5 million, Perth City Link, the Subiaco redevelopment, urban renewal precincts linked to the Metropolitan Redevelopment Authority legacy, regional growth strategies for the Pilbara, Kimberley Science and Conservation Strategy coordination, and Aboriginal cultural heritage projects such as native title negotiations involving the Federal Court of Australia, the National Native Title Tribunal and claimant groups like the Noongar, Yawuru and Martu peoples. Infrastructure coordination programs engage with projects like the Forrestfield–Airport Link, North West Shelf developments, the Bunbury Outer Ring Road, Ord River Irrigation Area improvements, and housing initiatives aligned with Housing Authority and Community Housing providers.
The department operates under statutes including the Planning and Development Act, the Aboriginal Heritage Act, the Land Administration Act, the Heritage of Western Australia Act, and interacts with federal legislation such as the Native Title Act and Environment Protection and Biodiversity Conservation Act administered by the Commonwealth Parliament. Policy instruments include the State Planning Strategy, state planning policies, local planning schemes under the Planning and Development Regulations, heritage listings on the State Register of Heritage Places, and protocols shaped by the Standing Council on Transport and Infrastructure and intergovernmental arrangements with the Council of Australian Governments and Infrastructure Australia.
The department partners with universities such as the University of Western Australia, Curtin University, Murdoch University and Edith Cowan University for research, and collaborates with industry bodies including the Property Council of Australia, Master Builders Association, Urban Development Institute of Australia and the Real Estate Institute of Western Australia. It engages with Indigenous organisations such as the Aboriginal Legal Service, Indigenous Land Council representatives, Yamatji Marlpa Aboriginal Corporation, Kimberley Land Council and native title representative bodies, and coordinates with federal agencies including the Australian Department of the Environment and Energy, Geoscience Australia and the Australian Bureau of Statistics for data and compliance.
Controversies have arisen over heritage outcomes, Aboriginal cultural heritage protection in instances connected to mining approvals and infrastructure projects, disputes similar to broader debates exemplified by Juukan Gorge, criticisms of urban renewal projects such as Elizabeth Quay and Perth City Link over cost and consultation, tensions with local governments including the City of Perth and City of Fremantle about planning controls, and scrutiny from investigative reporting by outlets like The West Australian and the Australian Broadcasting Corporation. Legal challenges have involved appeals to the State Administrative Tribunal, cases before the Federal Court relating to native title, and parliamentary inquiries by the Legislative Assembly and Legislative Council examining procedural transparency and stakeholder engagement.