Last week, the State Government announced plans for sweeping reforms in relation to the Residential Design Codes (R-Codes) that are aimed at enabling greater housing supply, particularly in existing (infill) neighbourhoods.

The R-Codes are the statewide planning and design standards in Western Australia which regulate residential development, determining important elements like block subdivision minimums, building setbacks, open space and housing density.

The R-Codes apply to all residential projects across WA – from single homes to large apartment buildings – and are managed by the Department of Planning, Lands and Heritage.

Under the proposed reforms, which will be released for public consultation later this year with a view for implementation in mid-2027, one of the biggest changes would be to abolish the average lot size requirement for land coded R20 and below, allowing residential property owners on 700sqm blocks to subdivide.

That brings down the requirement from the current 900sqm, and the R20 density code generally applies to most common suburban residential properties in Perth.

At a time when WA continues to face significant housing pressures, reforms such as these have the potential to help deliver significantly more homes faster.

Perth remains below the long-term infill target set by Perth and Peel@3.5 million, which recently underwent a Health Check, and we need to ensure action is taken now to deliver the homes we need to meet current needs and for our future.

The reforms also aim to cut unnecessary red tape so more simple residential projects, such as single houses, renovations, patios and carports, no longer need planning approval.

The review is also focused on improving efficiency within the planning system, such as reducing single-home approvals from 60 to 30 days and reducing duplication to make the R-Codes easier to navigate.

While the reforms are promising, UDIA WA will continue to advocate for a whole-of-government approach to increasing housing supply, so we can fully realise the benefits of planning reform.

That includes ensuring community and essential services infrastructure keep pace with accommodating an increased population within our urban areas. This means strategically forward planning for things like essential water and power infrastructure, as well as social infrastructure such as schools, sporting facilities and public open space.