Housing & planning · City of Wanneroo
Wanneroo keeps 4.5m garage setback as committee seeks State parking review
The Policy Review Committee adopted changes to the medium-density housing policy but did not increase the setback, while asking the CEO to write to the Western Australian Planning Commission about allowing more parking in front of garages and carports.
Reporting from draft minutes. Recorded wording may change when confirmed. How this article was prepared
Wanneroo’s 4.5-metre minimum garage setback on front-loaded lots will remain unchanged under amended Local Planning Policy 4.19, while the committee has requested a letter seeking State consideration of a larger setback that could allow more parking in front of garages and carports.
According to the unconfirmed minutes, the Policy Review Committee adopted the amended policy on 2 November and carried the amended motion unanimously, 8-0. It also asked Chief Executive Officer Bill Parker to write to the Western Australian Planning Commission about increasing the minimum garage and carport setbacks in the Residential Design Codes and the R-MD standards.
The request does not change the current rule. The minutes say the Department of Planning, Lands and Heritage, acting for the WAPC, advised that the commission would not support a local policy requiring a garage setback greater than the 4.5 metres prescribed by the Residential Design Codes. Administration therefore said a larger minimum could not be introduced through LPP 4.19.
The policy changes remove the former R-MD60 provisions for R60-coded land and clarify that the remaining standards apply to R-MD25 to R-MD40 areas. They also specify that an outdoor living area must measure at least three metres in both length and width to qualify as deemed-to-comply under the policy.
The minutes record a transitional approach for some lots. Until 31 December 2027, the City may consider development outcomes generally consistent with the former R-MD60 provisions through the development application process where a WAPC subdivision approval was issued in relation to the lot on or before 10 October 2024 and R-MD coding was provided through an approved local structure plan or another statutory mechanism. The record says this does not restore the former provisions or create an alternative deemed-to-comply pathway.
The committee also requested publication of notice of the LPP 4.19 amendments. Its request for correspondence to the WAPC does not set a timetable for a State response or alter the current setback.
What deserves a closer look
The current setback remains in place, while the committee's separate request seeks consideration of a possible State-level change.
The recorded resolution requests CEO correspondence; it does not establish that the letter has been sent or that the WAPC will respond or change the Residential Design Codes or R-MD standards.
Questions for follow-up reporting
When will the CEO's correspondence to the WAPC be sent?
Will the WAPC provide a formal response, and will that response be published?
How many lots could qualify for the City's transitional development-application approach before 31 December 2027?
What happens next
The committee requested that Administration publish notice of the amendments to LPP 4.19.
The committee requested that the CEO write to the WAPC seeking consideration of increased minimum garage and carport setbacks.
Check the record
These passages were matched to the source text. Read them in context in the original minutes.
The document is labelled unconfirmed minutes of the Policy Review Committee meeting held on 2 November 2026.
Unconfirmed Minutes Policy Review Committee Meeting Minutes 6:00PM, Monday 02 November, 2026 Council Chamber (Level 1), Civic Centre, 23 Dundebar Road, Wanneroo wanneroo.wa.gov.au UNCONFIRMED MINUTES OF POLICY REVIEW COMMITTEE MEETING HELD ON MONDAY 02 NOVEMBER, 2026 CONTENTS ITEM 1 ATTENDANCES 1 ITEM 2 APOLOGIES AND LEAVE OF ABSENCE 1 ITEM 3 PUBLIC QUESTIONS 1 ITEM 4 CONFIRMATION OF MINUTES 2 4.1 MINUTES OF POLICY REVIEW COMMITTEE MEETING HELD ON 31 AUGUST 2026 2 ITEM 5 REPORTS 2 MINOR REVIEWS 2 5.1 LOCAL PLANNING POLICY 3.3: FAUNA MANAGEMENT 2 5.2 LOCAL PLANNING POLICY 4.19: MEDIUM DENSITY HOUSING STANDARDS 16 5.3 LOCAL AREA TRAFFIC MANAGEMENT
Document title
Open original minutes ↗LPP 4.19 permits garages on front-loaded lots to be set back a minimum of 4.5 metres from the front boundary.
The amendments proposed to the policy are presented as track changes in Attachment 2. A clean version is provided in Attachment 3. Detail Garage Setback Provision LPP 4.19 permits garages on front-loaded lots to be set back a minimum of 4.5 metres from the front boundary.
Item 5.2, garage setback provision
Open original minutes ↗Administration sought clarification from DPLH on behalf of the WAPC. DPLH said the WAPC would not support a garage setback greater than the 4.5 metres prescribed by the R-Codes, and the report proposed no amendment to that standard.
As part of its investigation, Administration sought clarification from DPLH on behalf of the WAPC regarding the ability to increase the minimum garage setback requirement through LPP 4.19. DPLH confirmed that the WAPC would not support the inclusion of a provision requiring a garage setback greater than the 4.5 metre setback prescribed by the R-Codes. Consequently, the City is unable to implement a greater minimum garage setback through LPP 4.19 and no amendment to the existing 4.5 metre standard is proposed.
Item 5.2, advice on increasing garage setbacks
Open original minutes ↗The amended LPP 4.19 motion was carried and provided for adoption, treatment of the amendments as minor without advertising, and publication of notice.
4.19: Medium Density Housing Standards (R-MD), as outlined in Attachments 2 and 3, to be minor and able to proceed without advertising; CITY OF WANNEROO MINUTES OF POLICY REVIEW COMMITTEE MEETING 02 NOVEMBER, 2026 21 b) ADOPTS the amended Local Planning Policy No. 4.19: Medium Density Housing Standards (R-MD) as set out in Attachment 3; and 2. Pursuant to Clause 5 and Clause 87 of the deemed provisions for local planning schemes contained in Schedule 2 of the Planning and Development (Local Planning Schemes) Regulations 2015, requests Administration to PUBLISH notice of the amendments made to Local Planning Policy No. 4.19: Medium Density Housing Standards (R-MD). 3. REQUESTS the Chief Executive Officer write to the Western Australian Planning Commission requesting consideration of increasing the minimum garage and carport setback requirements in the Residential Design Codes and the R-MD standards, to allow additional car parking on site in front of garages and carports. The substantive motion as amended was put and CARRIED UNANIMOUSLY 8/0 For the Motion: Mayor Aitken, Cr Bedworth, Cr Berry, Cr Figg, Cr Seif, Cr Smith, Cr Rowe and Cr Wright Against the Motion: Nil Attachments: 1⇩.
Item 5.2, amended motion and result
Open original minutes ↗The carried amended motion requested that the CEO write to the Western Australian Planning Commission seeking consideration of increased minimum garage and carport setbacks in the Residential Design Codes and R-MD standards to allow additional parking in front of garages and carports.
4.19: Medium Density Housing Standards (R-MD). 3. REQUESTS the Chief Executive Officer write to the Western Australian Planning Commission requesting consideration of increasing the minimum garage and carport setback requirements in the Residential Design Codes and the R-MD standards, to allow additional car parking on site in front of garages and carports. The substantive motion as amended was put and CARRIED UNANIMOUSLY 8/0 For the Motion: Mayor Aitken, Cr Bedworth, Cr Berry, Cr Figg, Cr Seif, Cr Smith, Cr Rowe and Cr Wright Against the Motion: Nil Attachments: 1⇩.
Item 5.2, additional recommendation 3 and result
Open original minutes ↗Bill Parker is listed as Chief Executive Officer.
Item 1 Attendances DELEGATES: Council Members: LINDA AITKEN, JP Mayor JAMES ROWE, JP South Ward EMAN SEIF, JP South Ward (Electronic Attendance from 6:10PM) JORDAN WRIGHT, JP Central Ward (Presiding Member) PHIL BEDWORTH Central-West Ward (Deputy Presiding Member) HELEN BERRY Central-West Ward BRONWYN SMITH North-East Ward ALEX FIGG North Ward (Electronic Attendance from 6:10PM) Officers: BILL PARKER Chief Executive Officer CHRIS LEIGH Director Planning & Sustainability HARMINDER SINGH Director Assets EMMA WOOLASTON Director Corporate Strategy & Performance LIZ KRUGER Acting Director Community & Place JIM TAN Acting General Counsel PAS BRACONE
Item 1, officers
Open original minutes ↗Administration proposed removing former R-MD60 provisions so the policy would guide assessment of R-MD25 to R-MD40 development, with related amendments defining medium density as land coded R25 to R40.
In addition, the inclusion in a local planning policy of alternative R60 deemed-to-comply requirements requires WAPC approval. Administration therefore proposes to remove the former R-MD60 provisions from LPP 4.19 so that the Policy remains consistent with the current State planning framework and provides relevant guidance for assessment and decision-making of dwellings with an R-MD25 to R-MD40 density code. Minor additional amendments to the policy are also proposed to ensure consistency with the removal of R-MD60 provisions, including the removal of Provision 1.2 which references the cessation of R-MD60 provisions after 10 April 2026, and modifying the definition of 'Medium Density' to apply only to land coded R25 to R40.
Item 5.2, removal of R-MD60 provisions
Open original minutes ↗Administration proposed explicitly requiring OLAs on R-MD lots to have minimum dimensions of three metres in both length and width to be deemed-to-comply.
Accordingly, Administration proposes to amend LPP 4.19 to explicitly require OLAs on R-MD lots to incorporate minimum dimensions of three metres in both length and width to be considered deemed-to-comply.
Item 5.2, outdoor living area provisions
Open original minutes ↗Source record
Reporting from the City of Wanneroo Policy Review Committee’s unconfirmed public minutes for the meeting held on 2 November 2026.
Key facts from the minutes
- The unconfirmed minutes record that the committee adopted amended Local Planning Policy 4.19: Medium Density Housing Standards and determined the changes could proceed without advertising.
- The existing 4.5-metre minimum garage setback on front-loaded lots was not increased because DPLH said the WAPC would not support a larger requirement through LPP 4.19.
- The committee asked the CEO to write to the WAPC seeking consideration of larger garage and carport setbacks.
- The amendments remove former R-MD60 provisions and clarify that the policy applies to R-MD25 to R-MD40 standards.
- The recorded amended motion was carried unanimously, 8-0.
Why it matters
- LPP 4.19 guides the design and assessment of medium-density homes across the City of Wanneroo, including garage setbacks, parking arrangements and outdoor living areas. The current setback remains 4.5 metres on front-loaded lots, while any larger requirement through the policy would depend on action by the State planning authority.