The WAPC is the statutory authority with statewide responsibilities for urban, rural and regional land use planning and land development matters. The WAPC responds to the strategic direction of government and is responsible for the strategic planning of the State.

As prescribed in the Planning and Development Act 2005 the WAPC can have up to 15 members. These include an independent chairman, the directors' general of seven government agencies and representatives from economic, social and environmental areas, local government, regional development and coastal management. The WAPC is serviced by a number of planning committees that have a range of expertise and local community knowledge.

The WAPC operates with the support of the Department for Planning and Infrastructure (DPI), which provides professional and technical expertise, administrative services, and resources to advise the WAPC and implement its decisions. In this partnership the WAPC has responsibility for decision-making and a significant level of funding while the department provides the human resources and professional advice.

The WAPC delegates some of its functions to officers of the department. This delegated authority includes decisions on subdivision and development applications, when they comply with the WAPC policies and practices.

Standing orders ( 465 Kb)

Instrument of delegation to committees and officers

Annual Report 2007

Freedom of Information Act 1992

In partnership with the Department for Planning and Infrastructure, the WAPC have a joint information statement containing details of the structure and function of the agencies, a description of the ways in which those functions affects members of the public, details of public participation formulation, details of documents held and arrangements for public access to documents.

Freedom of Information Statement ( 103Kb)

Freedom of information application form ( 68 Kb)