New planning scheme touted as paving way for more compact, diverse and vibrant Albany

Albany’s new local planning scheme will open up new opportunities and benefit the community “for years to come”, according to mayor Greg Stocks.

The State Government officially gazetted the city’s Local Planning Scheme No. 2 last week, resulting in it surplanting the decade-old LPS1 amid changes to some zoning in the city.

The new scheme adds and reclassifies several zones, including switching some light industry areas on the outskirts of the CBD to mixed use.

City infrastructure, development and environment executive director Paul Camins said the new scheme would enable the city to adapt to population growth while managing impacts on the natural environment.

He said the scheme delivered on community goals to plan for a “compact city with diverse land, housing and future business opportunities” while limiting urban sprawl.

“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.

Mr Stocks said LPS2 ensured the city could deliver on its aspirations to support the creation of “vibrant, attractive and welcoming activity centres and business districts” supported by adaptable residential areas.

“This scheme provides more opportunities for the delivery of a greater mix of housing densities and typologies in suitable areas, such as closer to the centre of town, in mixed use zones and near shopping precincts, which will also support the delivery of affordable housing,” he said.

“Having the city’s Local Planning Scheme No. 2 gazetted is a huge win for the city and a success that the community will reap the benefits of for years to come.”

The scheme, including 35 maps showing zoning, is available on the city’s website.

The scheme’s gazettal means a new policy on low-impact tourism developments in rural areas has now also come into effect.

The council endorsed the local planning policy in December so it could be adopted as soon as LPS2 was gazetted.