It is mainly concerned with the location, distribution and broad design criteria for the development of commercial activities at the regional and district level.

Local planning strategies prepared by local governments will provide more detailed guidance for planning and development control at the local level.

The policy is intended to provide a guide for centre development that is flexible enough to enable commercial development to respond to market conditions and has a degree of certainty to assist in commercial investment decisions.

The objectives of the policy are to:

• establish a hierarchy of well-located centres in the metropolitan region that will:
  • promote the Perth central area as the dominant centre and the primary focus for retail, commercial, cultural, entertainment and tourist facilities;
  • promote strategic regional centres as “cities in the suburbs” and the preferred location for major offices and retailing as well as a mix of entertainment, recreation and community facilities;
  • promote regional centres as important suburban centres offering a focus for the community by providing a mix of retail, office, entertainment, recreation and community
    facilities;
  • promote district centres to meet the weekly shopping and service needs of the community including the provision of offices and community facilities; and
  • promote neighbourhood centres, local centres and corner shops as performing a vital role in providing the day-to-day convenience shopping for the neighbourhood as well as
    an important focus for neighbourhood services and community facilities;
• encourage centres to be developed as the focus of the community and employment activities comprising a range of appropriate commercial and community uses;
• ensure that centres are highly accessible, of a high standard of urban design and developed with due regard to the residential amenity of the locality;
• encourage local governments to develop local planning strategies to provide detailed planning mechanisms to implement the objectives of this policy; and
• provide policy measures and guidelines for the planning and design of centre developments.