New WA planning policy means schools need to leave room to colocate ECEC services

A new planning policy came into effect yesterday that will guide the location and selection of development sites for new Government and private schools across Western Australia, also giving consideration to planning for early childhood education and education support facilities.

The new policy improves strategic planning for future primary and secondary schools, and means that developers will be required to have early engagement with the Department of Education, and will need to choose land which has sufficient space to accommodate co-located early childhood education and care (ECEC) facilities.

Operational Policy 2.4 – Planning for School Sites delivers a contemporary approach to planning for future Government and private schools, and aims to ensure “a more transparent approach” to cash in lieu arrangements and ECEC provision.

“We wanted a policy that would ensure consideration was given to co-located childcare (sic.) and education support needs when planning for new schools,” WA Education and Training Minister Sue Ellery said.

The policy requires school sites to be strategically located – with a minimum of three street frontages – and must consider bikes, scooters, and other transport modes to improve neighbourhood traffic networks and road safety.

Sites must also be large enough to cater for ECEC or education support facilities where required. Developers will be required to engage with the Department of Education (DoE) early in the planning process, to ensure Government school sites are unencumbered and able to be developed, reducing the cost to taxpayers and enabling more efficient delivery of schools.

The policy also includes a reduced ratio of one Government primary school per 1,500 lots, meaning early engagement will enable the DoE to manage enrolments at new schools.

The new policy can be found online here. Image source: www.womeninconstruction.com.au