Development Assessment Panel (DAP)

Members are appointed by the Minister for Planning.

All DAP applications need to be lodged in person at our Civic Centre or pre-arranged to the lodged electronically with senior staff members. DAP applications lodged via email or electronically without prior arrangement will not be accepted. Each DAP application needs to include the following information as a minimum, in an electronic format (e.g. USB, Dropbox link):

• The following completed forms:

• Application for Planning/Development Approval

• DAP Form 1

• Payment of the relevant fee including the applicable DAP fee. See our Planning Fees Schedule.

• A planning report outlining the details of the proposal, including an assessment of the proposal against the applicable planning framework

• Certificate(s) of Title

• A set of detailed development plans including a feature survey, site plan, floor plans, elevations, perspectives and technical diagrams (i.e. overshadowing, cross ventilation, daylight access and cone of vision).

• Technical reports as confirmed by the City prior to lodgement.

We strongly encourage you to contact us to discuss your proposal with a planning officer before you lodge a DAP application.

Amendments need to not materially impact the substantial approval and be broadly consistent with the intent of the development approval. Amendment applications may seek to make changes to the development, seek to remove or alter conditions or extend the period of time in which to substantially commence the development.

There are two paths available to amend a DAP application. You may choose to have the decision made by the DAP (Regulation 17) or by the City (Regulation 17A). If you choose to have the decision made by the DAP you will need to submit the following:

The following completed forms

• Application for Planning/Development Approval

• DAP Form 2

• ​Payment of the relevant fee. See our Planning Fees Schedule.

• A cover letter describing the nature of the development. For extensions of time, information as to the appropriateness of granting the amendment will also need to be covered (i.e. whether the planning framework has substantially altered)

• A set of detailed development plans including a feature survey, site plan, floor plans, elevations and perspectives, if changes to the built form are proposed

• Amendments to the supporting reports through either updated reports or technical addendums.

If you choose to have the decision made by the City (Regulation 17A), you will need to complete all of the above information with the exception of the DAP Form 2. Please note that the City may have either Council or delegated officer determine the application depending on the nature of the application and discretion requested to be exercised.

In both situations the application is required to be completed within the standard timeframe of 60 or 90 days (depending on whether advertising/referral is required).

Please note that there are some minor amendments which may not trigger an amendment application as the nature of the amendments do not trigger re-assessment.

For further information on what constitutes a minor amendment please refer to the Development Assessment Panel Practice Notes.

We aim to process applications within the following guidelines:

• Where we don’t need to consult with neighbours or external agencies: 60 days.

• Where we need to consult with neighbours or external agencies: 90 days.

These timelines may sometimes be extended in consultation with the applicant. Having a complete application which includes all necessary information greatly assists the City in ensuring we can keep to these timeframes.

We will invite you to the DAP meeting once a meeting date is confirmed. The meeting is required to be held within 10 days of the RAR due date and as this due date may be extended, the meetings are often not arranged by the DAP secretariat until closer to the due date.

The DAP decides at the scheduled meeting and a copy of the determination will be provided to the applicant by the DAP secretariat.

DAP meetings are open to the public. The applicant, owner and anyone who has made a submission on the application is invited to the meeting, however members of the public are also able to attend the meeting with the details of the meeting (location and online attendance link) published on the DAP agenda prior to the meeting.

If you are the applicant or owner and are aggrieved by a decision of the DAP (including in relation to a condition of approval), you will need to appeal to the State Administrative Tribunal within 28 days of the decision. Please note that there are not third-party appeal rights to the State Administrative Tribunal in Western Australia.