Perth Voice Interactive

OPENING a homeless drop-in centre in inner-city neighbourhoods will be harder under new rules approved by Perth councillors that’ll give them more power to scrutinise applications.

The new rules stemmed from a stoush with the state government in mid-2022 after the homeless services charity Ruah wanted to move its drop-in centre to James Street.

Many nearby residents and small business owners objected, and Perth councillors voted against Ruah’s plan.

But a quirk in planning policy meant their decision was on shaky ground: A drop-in centre is a “community” use, and the council’s own planning scheme says “community” uses are a “preferred use” in most of their inner-city neighbourhoods like Northbridge, East Perth, West Perth, and around the Claisebrook inlet.

Its scheme says such preferred uses don’t have to be advertised to the public when a new premises wants to open up, and applicants “cannot be refused based on the merit of the land use”. That means a community theatre could be opened as easily as a library, hospital or a homeless services centre. 

In September 2022, planning minister Rita Saffioti stepped in to overrule the council’s decision and allow Ruah to move the drop-in centre to James Street. 

That shortcut what would otherwise be a hearing at the State Administrative Tribunal, where the council probably would have lost its case anyway.

At the time Cr Brent Fleeton moved a motion to change “community” uses to the “contemplated” category, giving council far more discretion in whether to allow a homeless centre to open up. 

At the May 30 meeting councillors endorsed the change with a 7-to-1 vote, with deputy lord mayor Liam Gobbert opposed.

Cr Fleeton said it closed a “loophole” in the city’s planning scheme, however the council still needs the rule to be rubber-stamped by the WA Planning Commission before it takes effect.

by DAVID BELL