Published on Tuesday, 29 July 2025 at 1:29:27 PM
SHIRE OF KATANNING
LOCAL PLANNING SCHEME NO.5
NOTICE OF PUBLIC ADVERTISEMENT OF PLANNING PROPOSAL
Planning and Development Act 2005
Shire of Katanning
Submissions now open
Local Planning Policy – Temporary Accommodation
The Shire of Katanning has an existing ‘Temporary Accommodation Policy’, which is in-need of a review, to bring-in-line with changes undertaken for the Caravan Parks and Camping Grounds Regulations 1997.
The Shire’s current ‘Temporary Accommodation’ policy gives a landholder the opportunity to live in a caravan for 12 months, whilst building their home. This policy position varies from the Caravan Parks and Camping Grounds Regulations 1997, which allows:
- Up to 5 nights camping per 28-day consecutive period, without shire approval
- Max 24 months camping, subject to shire approval
The 24-month timeframe is considered reasonable, given the need to make financial savings, to get the various planning, building and health approvals completed and to build a home for occupation.
As per the above, the Shire of Katanning has developed a new (draft) Temporary Accommodation Policy, to replace the existing Policy.
At the 23 July 2025 Meeting, Council resolved to advertise the new (draft) Temporary Accommodation Policy, which is proposing the following:
- Prior to obtaining Temporary Accommodation approval to live in a caravan on private land, the proponent is to ensure that Planning, Building and Environmental Health approvals have been granted for a dwelling, an outbuilding, a min 135,000L water tank and an effluent disposal system.
- The temporary accommodation is limited to a 24-month period. Within this period, the landowner is to undertake the development of a dwelling, in accordance with the planning and building approval process.
- The outbuilding, water tank and effluent disposal system may be constructed prior to the dwelling.
- The purpose of the outbuilding is to store the materials/equipment for the dwelling construction and to allow for temporary accommodation (max 24 months). The outbuilding is to include the development of a toilet, hand wash basin, bath and/or shower and laundry trough (located in the outbuilding). These facilities provide amenities for the Temporary Accommodation (living in caravan). The proposal for the outbuilding will need to include a floor plan to show the toilet, hand wash basin, bath and/or shower and laundry trough.
It is proposed that the following current provisions are retained:
- Applications will not be considered outside areas zoned ‘Rural’ or ‘Rural Residential’.
- The temporary accommodation approval applies to the landholder, for the purpose of residing in a caravan temporarily, whilst preparing for and developing a house.
- Council reserves the right to revoke temporary accommodation permission at any time if it is dissatisfied with the state of progress towards the construction of a permanent dwelling or any general terms of the temporary accommodation permission have not been met.
The proposed amendments are expected to give a landholder an affordable living option, whilst preparing to build a home on their property.
How to view the new (draft) Temporary Accommodation Policy
The new (draft) Temporary Accommodation Policy is available as a hard copy at the Shire office (52 Austral Terrace, Katanning), or can be viewed electronically at the following link: Here
How to make a submission
Comments on the proposal are now invited and can be emailed to admin@katanning.wa.gov.au or posted to the Shire’s Chief Executive Officer at PO Box 130 KATANNING WA 6317 by no later than Wednesday 20th August 2025.
All submissions must include the following information:
- Your name, address and contact telephone number
- How your interests are affected; whether as a private citizen, on behalf of a company or other organisation, or as an owner or occupier of property
- Address of property affected (if applicable)
- Whether your submission is in support of or objecting to the proposal and provide any arguments supporting your comments.
All submissions received may be made public at a Council meeting and included in a Council Agenda, which will be available on the Shire’s website, unless a submission specifically requests otherwise.
Should you have any questions or wish to discuss this matter further please do not hesitate to contact a member of the Shire’s Development Services Team on 9821 9999.
Peter Klein
Chief Executive Officer
28 July 2025
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