Three local governments south west of Perth have joined forces to slash red tape and streamline planning processes in a bid to attract major investment in the region’s industrial precinct.
The councils of Cockburn, Kwinana and Rockingham are home to Perth’s Global Advanced Industries Hub (GAIH), which includes the Australian Marine Complex, Kwinana Industrial Area and Rockingham Industry Zone.
The GAIH employs more than 10,000 direct workers across heavy industry, battery metals
processing and shipbuilding and contributes more than $15 billion to the state’s economy
annually.
It’s hoped the new united approach to planning will boost the industrial precinct’s ability to compete in global markets.
On Friday, the councils signed a Memorandum of Understanding with the Western Australian Planning Commission (WAPC) on Friday to work together to simplify the planning process by aligning zoning and adopting consistent planning policies, design requirements and statutory provisions across their boundaries.
Perth South West Metropolitan Alliance Chair and Mayor of Kwinana, Carol Adams said the MoU demonstrated the local governments’ commitment to cutting red tape and making the GAIH more competitive globally.
“The Global Advanced Industries Hub Ministerial Taskforce identified some barriers to future
industry investment, so we are taking a proactive approach to removing those obstacles,” Mayor Adams said.
“The rules for industrial development shouldn’t change when you cross the border of a local government area.
“At the end of this alignment process, the GAIH will be better able to support future investment in heavy industry, battery metals processing, shipbuilding and defence industry.”
Mayor Adams said the area was set to attract even more investment interest after a series of State and Federal Government decisions.
“The area is set to become the focus of significant industrial development with the pivotal role of the Australian Marine Complex in the AUKUS deal, as well as being home to WA’s new container port, Westport,” she said.
“IGO Limited’s recent allocation of 30 hectares of land across the Kwinana-Rockingham Strategic Industrial Area for an integrated battery mineral facility is a timely example of a project that has been attracted to the region and would benefit from a more unified planning process.
“Doing this work now will help position the region to manage the interest generated by these decisions in an orderly and efficient manner in the coming decades.”
The process of standardising planning across the three precincts will be coordinated by an external consultant funded by the WAPC, with outcomes expected to be implemented within two years.
