Want to know about Development Applications (DA)?

I thought I’d never have to hear about DA’s again since departing local government and establishing my own consulting business. Sadly that is all I hear about as I support the Australian Short Term Rental Accommodation (ASTRA) industry association fight for fair industry regulation.

DA = Development Application, whereby you seek permission off your Local Government Authority (LGA), guided by a local or state planning law, to change the use of or develop land.

So why I am all of a sudden hearing DA in daily conversations again when I am no longer sitting in on council meetings?

It is because in 2009 WA Planning released guidelines which promoted local regulation of Short Term Rental Accommodation (STRA) in Western Australia. While they state "In general, holiday homes should be residential dwellings on freehold lots." they also propose "Identification of preferred areas for holiday homes in local planning strategies based on sound planning principles." and recommend "that holiday homes be introduced as a use class in the zoning table of local planning schemes, and be made a D or an SA use (discretionary or discretionary subject to advertising)."

This is where the DA comes into play. If the LGA in which you operate has adopted a local STRA policy or regulation, then you will either need to go on a register and/or formally apply for a change of use from residential to whatever they define the use, in most it is Special Residential and therefore residential properties let short term are grouped with hotels, traditional bnb’s, serviced apartments, lodging and boarding houses.

We are challenging regulators over this requirement to change use as STRA properties are still used as residential dwellings, shorter term. That’s another topic for another blog article.

I have just processed my first DA on behalf of a STRA owner and manager and so I am familiar with the process. I also have a strong local government background working for Mandurah, Ravensthorpe, Western Downs (QLD) and Darwin LGA’s directly, and others as a contract consultant.

If you need assistance in submitting a Development Application (DA) for Short Term Rental Accommodation (STRA) in Western Australia please do not hesitate to contact me for more details on the service and fee I offer natalie@welcomein.com.au.

If you are also concerned about STRA being redefined as a commercial use, or maybe you want to connect with other industry stakeholders, learn, educate and so forth, then I strongly encourage you to join the Australian Short Term Rental Accommodation (ASTRA) industry association at www.astra.asn.au. I have also formed a closed WA ASTRA members Facebook group and all WA members will be invited to review the draft Position Statement soon to be released by the WA Government as the next stage in the STRA regulation enquiry.