Wembley Activity Centre Precinct Structure Plan

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The Town of Cambridge has prepared an amendment to the Wembley Activity Centre Plan – called the Wembley Precinct Structure Plan.  This revised plan updates the 2018 Wembley Activity Centre Plan.

Please see below for the Latest Updates and relevant information.

Latest Updates

May 2025

Help Shape the Future of Wembley

The Town of Cambridge has drafted a revised plan for the Wembley town centre – called the Wembley Precinct Structure Plan.

This revised plan updates the 2018 Wembley Activity Centre Plan. We’ve reviewed it to make sure it reflects current planning requirements and the community’s needs and goals for how the area should grow and develop.

The updated plan aims to guide future changes in Wembley by:

  • Supporting more local housing (between 750 and 1000 new homes)
  • Creating space for new jobs (about 11,000m² of employment space)
  • Improving the look, feel, and function of public spaces

The draft Wembley PSP was considered at the Town of Cambridge Ordinary Council Meeting on 27th May 2025.  Approval was granted to advertise the draft plan for community consultation which is now open until 4 August 2025.

We want to hear what you think before anything is finalised, so your feedback is important to us.

To find out more about the revised plan and ask any questions you may have, please join us at one of our community drop-in sessions (no registration required):

  • Thursday 26th June 6:00pm – 8:00pm at the Wembley Community Centre
  • Saturday 26th July 2:00pm – 4:00pm at The Boulevard Centre, Floreat

To view the draft Wembley PSP and associated technical reports click here.

To find out more about the Wembley Activity Centre, click here.

Make a submission

Make a submission before 5pm, Monday, 4 August 2025.

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Background

Click here to view to view the history of the Wembley Activity Centre Plan.

Related Documents

Draft Wembley Precinct Structure Plan as advertised:

Supporting technical reports to Draft Wembley PSP as advertised:

FAQs

Frequently Asked Questions

Why Review the Wembley Activity Centre Plan?

The Town’s Local Planning Strategy (LPS) identified key actions for urban consolidation precincts.  Regarding the Wembley Activity Centre, the key immediate action is to:

“Implement the Wembley Activity Centre Plan adopted by the Town and approved by the Western Australian Planning Commission and undertake reviews of the plan to ensure that development outcomes are in accordance with expectations for the public and private realm.”

Given the Wembley Activity Centre Plan (Wembley ACP) was approved in 2018, is due to expire in 2028, and Draft Local Planning Scheme No. 2 (LPS2) is with the Department of Planning Lands and Heritage (DPLH) for approval to advertise, it was considered timely to review the document.  The review has two key functions:

Why is the Wembley ACP being renamed to Wembley Precinct Structure Plan?

In 2015, the Planning and Development (Local Planning Schemes) Regulations 2015 (the Regulations) were gazetted which introduced provisions for two types of structure plans; a standard structure plan and a Precinct Structure Plan (PSP), of which the latter was intended to replace activity centre plans. 

The Regulations allowed for activity centre plans in the course of preparation on commencement day (of the Regulations), to be completed as per the requirements of the former deemed provisions.  This meant the Wembley ACP was prepared and approved without complying with the newly prescribed precinct structure plan form and manner, and without some of the supporting technical reports required under the Regulations. 

The now renamed Wembley PSP, will become the first amendment to the approved Wembley ACP (structure plan).

What is a Precinct Structure Plan (PSP)?

A Precinct Structure Plan is a planning document that outlines a framework for the future planning and potential development of an area. It includes subdivision, development, and design criteria which are used to assess development applications.

A Precinct Structure Plan differs from a Development Application. Any actual development or construction will still require a development application/s. These applications are then assessed against the endorsed Precinct Structure Plan.

Precinct Structure Plans are prepared in line with State Government’s State Planning Policy 7.2 – Precinct Design and follow a standardised format outlined in this policy and the WA Planning Manual – Guidance for Structure Plans. While a Precinct Structure Plan may include illustrative images of buildings, these are not always reflective of the specific design controls proposed by the Precinct Structure Plan and are meant only for context. They do not necessarily represent the actual designs that will be approved through a Development Application.

What is the process to review the Wembley ACP?

The State Government regulates the process that local governments must follow for the preparation of a Precinct Structure Plan. The process for amending a structure plan, or Activity Centre Plan as in the case with Wembley, is the same as that for preparing a structure plan.  The resulting amended document will be known as a Precinct Structure Plan (PSP).

This process is detailed in Schedule 2, Part 4 of the Planning and Development (Local Planning Schemes) Regulations 2015 and summarised further in the WA Planning Manual Guidance for Structure Plans.

The key steps in amending the Wembley ACP are as follows:

  1. Review Wembley ACP: audit the Wembley ACP recommendations to understand where the implementation of the ACP is at; and determine if the content of the ACP is still relevant in light of changes to the State planning framework, and more recent strategic planning projects being undertaken by the Town, including Draft LPS2
  2. Drafting/Preparation: Creating a draft of Precinct Structure Plan to meet the required form and manner, along with the necessary technical studies, consultation and input from relevant stakeholders.
  3. Council Review: Gaining Council approval to advertise the draft Precinct Structure Plan for public comment.
  4. Submission Review: The Town reviews the feedback, makes any updates to the draft plan, and prepares a report for the Western Australian Planning Commission (Commission) recommending approval of the Precinct Structure Plan.
  5. Commission Decision: The Commission assess the Precinct Structure Plan, considering whether to approve, modify (which may necessitate re-advertising) or refuse the plan.
  6. The Precinct Structure Plan becomes operational and is used to assess future developments.

Why is the Precinct Structure Plan being advertised

Clause 18 of Schedule 2 (Deemed Provisions) of the Planning and Development (Local Planning Schemes) Regulations 2015 requires that a precinct structure plan is advertised to the community and key stakeholders.

The purpose of consulting with the community on the amendment to the Wembley ACP is to:

  1. inform the community about what changes are being made to the 2018 Wembley ACP and why, and raise awareness about the proposed changes;
  2. provide a platform for community members to directly convey information and/or views; and provide an opportunity for the community to help inform the draft Wembley PSP.

Who is preparing the amendment to the Wembley ACP?

A structure plan may be amended by the Commission at the request of the local government or a person who owns land in the area covered by the plan.

The Town has initiated the review and prepared the draft Wembley Precinct Structure Plan which forms the proposed amendment to the Wembley ACP.

How many more dwellings are expected in the area?

The Town’s Local Planning Strategy identified that between 750 and 1,000 new dwellings will be developed in the Wembley Activity Centre.

 Why has Henderson Park been removed from the activity centre? 

Henderson Park has been removed from the Precinct Structure Plan area as a precinct structure plan is primarily concerned with providing guidance for development on private property.  Care and control of Henderson Park will remain with the Town and be guided by the relevant management plans. 

Why has the precinct boundary been extended? 

The review identified inconsistencies with how the Wembley ACP boundary was represented in the Local Planning Strategy (LPS). The LPS extends the Salvado Road boundary eastwards to Corby Street, retaining the existing boundary from Corby Street to Denton Street.   

However, as it is common practice to align precinct boundaries with roads where possible, the draft Wembley PSP boundary has been extended to remove the mid-block breaks.  This provides a clearer boundary for not only the Wembley PSP, but also for the Cambridge Street East Urban Corridor Precinct which adjoins the Precinct Structure Plan area to the east. 

How can I be involved?

You can get involved in the process for the Wembley Precinct Structure Plan by:

  • Staying Informed: Look out for updates on the Town’s website and register for Community Consultation email alerts.
  • Direct Communication: Send personal feedback or inquiries to wembleypsp@cambridge.wa.gov.au or phone (08) 9347 6000.
  • Public Advertising: Engage with formal advertising of the draft Precinct Structure Plan and make a submission.