- Retain and Gain planning reform to make it easier for homeowners to subdivide their property while keeping their existing house
- Proposed reform supports gentle infill and increases housing choice for downsizers and first home buyers in established suburbs
- Changes complement the WA Labor Government’s record $10.8 billion investment in housing measures since 2021
- Cook Labor Government committed to increasing land supply for housing
The Cook Labor Government is investigating a new planning reform that makes it easier for Western Australians to create an additional home on their property while retaining their existing house.
The proposed Retain and Gain pathway will be considered as part of the Cook Labor Government’s broader review of the Residential Design Codes (R-Codes). The reform would enable homeowners in areas coded R10 to R25 to subdivide their property and create an additional lot below the minimum lot size requirements.
Under the proposed changes, homeowners would be able to subdivide off a backyard or split their property into a maximum of two lots provided:
- the existing home is retained;
- one lot meets the prescribed minimum lot size requirement of the particular density code, and the other is at least 300 square metres in size; and
- all other planning and servicing requirements are met.
The reform is aimed at increasing housing supply in established suburbs without requiring demolition of existing homes, encouraging downsizing in place and improving sustainability outcomes. The broader R-Code reform package is also exploring the potential to offer further development flexibility where urban greening is retained, such as an existing tree.
The proposed changes will form part of the Cook Labor Government’s ongoing work to modernise the R-Codes, enabling more than 70,000 additional lots for subdivision and supporting increased housing supply across Western Australia.
It complements the previously announced changes to remove average lot size requirements in R10 to R25 areas.
The community and stakeholders can have their say on this proposed reform here: haveyoursay.dplh.wa.gov.au/r-codes-review with submission closing on 26 February 2027.
As stated by Planning and Lands Minister John Carey:
“Our Retain and Gain subdivision reform is about making it easier for Western Australians to create an additional home on their property without having to knock down the family home.
“By making it easier for people to retain their home and create an additional lot at the rear, we can support gentle infill and increase housing choice for downsizers and first home buyers in the suburbs people already know and love.
“Many properties have the capacity to accommodate another home, but existing planning rules can prevent sensible subdivision outcomes even when the original house is being retained.
“This builds on our broader R-Codes reforms, including the removal of average lot size requirements in R10 to R25 areas, to ensure our planning system supports the delivery of new housing where it is needed most.”
