Industry eyes WA’s next move on land lease housing
UDIA WA Chief Executive Tanya Steinbeck said it can be difficult to navigate the LLC approvals process in WA, with a disconnect between legislation and planning.
WA Minister for Planning, Lands, Housing and Homelessness John Carey says the State Government is considering reforms to support the growth of lifestyle villages and land lease community (LLC) developments.
The Urban Development Institute of Australia (WA) has urged the government to accelerate the model’s rollout, arguing LLCs can deliver homes in under 26 weeks – far faster than the more than 45 weeks typically needed for a single-storey home.
UDIA WA research suggests a further 6,631 homes could be delivered across 20 LLC projects planned by six major operators over the next decade.
Chief Executive Tanya Steinbeck said the approvals process remains complex, with a disconnect between legislation and planning.
She called for both Acts underpinning the model – the Caravan Parks and Camping Grounds Act 1995 and the Residential Parks (Long-Stay Tenants) Act 2006 – to be retained, alongside a Statewide recognition of LLCs as a permissible land use.
Providence Lifestyle Managing Director John Wood used the recent opening of his group’s Piara Waters Lifestyle Resort clubhouse – officiated by the Minister – to urge action.
“I’m hopeful that your government can now prioritise updating the legislation with some simple definition changes as described in the Industry White Paper submitted to you by the UDIA two months ago so that you can unlock the land lease sector to become a huge contributor to solving our housing crisis,” he said.
Minister Carey confirmed the Government is reviewing UDIA WA’s proposals.
New figures show WA approved just 84 multi-unit dwellings in the September quarter – the only state to record a decline in approvals over the period.
