Published on Thursday, 2 October 2025 at 10:35:49 AM
At its meeting on Wednesday 24 September 2025, the City of Busselton Council approved both the Local Planning Scheme Amendment and the Local Structure Plan (LSP) for Lot 6 Commonage Road in Dunsborough. The City’s comments and the Council resolution will now be forwarded to the Western Australian Planning Commission and the Minister for Planning for their assessment and final determination.
Mayor Phill Cronin said: “This development is expected to deliver up to 470 new dwellings, supporting a future population of approximately 1,200 people. As part of its decision, the Council took into account community feedback and recommended a number of changes to the plan to better protect the local environment and community values.”
The changes made by the Council at the meeting included:
- Protecting bushland – The proposed R40 grouped housing site adjacent to Commonage Road has been removed to protect and preserve the Abba conservation bushland complex. Medium-density housing will instead be redistributed across other parts of the site, mainly near open space areas.
- Preserving views – The larger R10 lots originally planned for the western edge have been removed to maintain views across the site from Commonage Road.
- Environmental buffers – A 20-metre buffer will run along the southern boundary next to the Environment and Conservation zone, while buffers along Commonage and Genoli Roads have been increased to 30 metres to support vegetation protection and enhancement.
- Tourist use removed – A proposed tourist site within the Environment and Conservation area has been deleted to ensure the focus remains on conservation.
- Local shopping – A small-scale Local Centre has been retained in the north-east corner of the site, providing retail and commercial options for nearby residents, including those in Dunsborough Lakes and the Commonage area.
The development will also be able to connect into the proposed Dunsborough East structure plan area to the east, creating new east–west connections and a possible future roundabout at the intersection of Biddle and Commonage Roads.
View the City’s minutes and agendas or watch a recording of the debate.
Objectives outlined in this statement are aligned with the City of Busselton’s Council Plan (2024 - 2034) Key Theme Place – Responsible planning is helping the region to experience sustainable growth with retention and enhancement of our unique character, identity and lifestyle.
Ends. Media enquiries can be directed to pr@busselton.wa.gov.au
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