City of Cockburn - Wetlands to Waves

Development Assessment Panels

The State Government has introduced new legislation to create Development Assessment Panels (DAPs) in Western Australia. DAPs came into effect on the 1st July 2011. The purpose of DAPs is to determine the higher value development applications in place of Local Governments and their Elected Members. With the involvement of independent experts the DAPs aim to help improve the planning system by providing more transparency, consistency and reliability.

Detailed information explaining the DAPs and their processes can be found here:

• http://daps.planning.wa.gov.au/

Under the new DAP regulations development applications now fall into three main categories:

1. Applications that must be determined by the DAP (Mandatory).
2. Applications that can be determined either by the Responsible Authority or the DAP (Optional); or 
3. Applications that can be determined by the Responsible Authority (Council);
   

Mandatory DAP Applications

Developments that are estimated at a cost of $7 million or more, except for the following:

• Construction of a single house
• Construction of less than 10 grouped dwellings or multiple dwellings
• Construction of carports, shade sails, outbuildings or sheds
• Development in an improvement scheme area
• Development by a local government or the WAPC

Mandatory development applications must be determined by the relevant Development Assessment Panel and cannot be determined by the Responsible Authority (Council).

Optional DAP Applications

Developments that are estimated at a cost between $3-7 million, except for the following:

• Construction of a single house 
• Construction of less than 10 grouped dwellings or multiple dwellings
• Construction of carports, shade sails, outbuildings or sheds
• Development in an improvement scheme area 
• Development by a local government or the WAPC

Optional DAP applications allow the applicant to choose whether to have their application determined by either the responsible Authority (Council) or the Development Assessment Panel (DAP).

Lodging a DAP Development Application

Where an application is to be determined by a DAP additional application Forms and Fees apply.

All of the normal information is required to be submitted including the Citys Application form, three sets of plans and supporting information. The normal Local Government Development Application fees are also still applicable.

In addition a DAP application form is required to be completed and a separate DAP application fee is payable also. A digital copy (in Adobe.pdf format) of the plans and reports is required to be submitted with the application.

All of the following Forms and Fees are required to be completed and paid for a DAP application:

• City of Cockburn MRS Form 1
• City of Cockburn Fees and Charges
• DAP Application Form
• DAP Application Fees and Charges
• Application Checklist