The City of Vincent has reviewed its policy for Refunding and Waiving of Planning and Building Fees (Appendix 20) and is seeking community feedback.
Background
Appendix 20 was adopted by Council at its Ordinary Meeting on 27 September 2011 and has not been reviewed since.
The purpose of Appendix 20 was to give fair and consistent guidance on when planning and building fees
may be waived or refunded.
The legislative framework under which Appendix 20 was adopted has since been replaced. As a result, the document contains outdated references to superseded legislation and regulations. It also includes ambiguous provisions that have led to inconsistent application.
At its 17 June 2025 meeting, Council approved the draft amendments to Appendix 20 for consultation. This includes the revocation of the existing policy and renaming of the policy to the Development Fee Reductions and Refunds Policy (Draft Policy).
Proposed amendments
The proposed amendments aim to provide:
- A clear framework for when development application and building permit fees may be reduced or refunded.
- Consistent decision-making, outlining clear criteria for assessing discretionary fee reduction or refund requests.
- Support for the City’s strategic initiatives such as heritage protection, tree retention and sustainable design.
A summary of the key changes to the Draft Policy is outlined below:
- Policy Scope - guidance on when planning or building applications fees may be reduced is now split into two parts: Non-Discretionary (automatic reductions/refunds can be applied), and Discretionary (case-by-case assessment). The non-discretionary schedule directly supports the City's strategic objectives and includes proposals that retain mature trees, improve or conserve heritage properties and environmentally sustainable design outcomes.
- Extent of Fee Reductions - there is a clear schedule of non-discretionary fee reductions specifying the extent of each reduction.
- Criteria for Fee Reductions - provides clear criteria for assessing discretionary requests for fee reductions, ensuring applicants are able to address these when making a request.
- A Responsive Policy - the Policy has a separate schedule containing details of application types and fee reductions that are eligible for refunds. This allows for updates without having to do a full review of the policy.
A more detailed summary of key changes, as well as a copy of the draft policy can be viewed in the Documents section to the right of this page.
Share your thoughts
Please provide your feedback on the draft Development Fee Reductions and Refunds Policy by completing the short survey below.
You can also contact us in any of the following ways:
- By phone 9273 6000
- By email mail@vincent.wa.gov.au (External link)
- In person at the City of Vincent Administration Building, 244 Vincent Street (corner Loftus Street), Leederville
- In writing, by mail to PO Box 82, Leederville, 6902
Hard copy surveys are available on request.
This consultation closes 4pm Thursday, 17 July 2025.
What will happen next?
After this consultation period closes, feedback we receive will be reviewed and a report presented to Council for consideration.
Everyone who provides feedback, and contact details, will be notified when this will be considered by Council. Members of the public are welcome to attend the Council Briefing and Council Meeting to ask questions or comment on the proposal.
If the policy is endorsed, supporting information will be provided for customer use through a variety of channels, including information sheets, application forms, checklists and the City's website.
Information on this page is available in alternative formats on request.
