Development applications with an estimated development value of $2 million or more, may involve the Western Australian Planning Commission, via the Development Assessment Panel (DAP).

The Development Assessment Panel (DAP) is a decision-making body that is independent of the Department of Planning, Lands and Heritage or the Western Australian Planning Commission. 

DAPs were established under the Planning and Development (Development Assessment Panels) Regulations 2011 and are administered by the DAP secretariat within the Department of Planning, Lands and Heritage.

The Metro Outer Development Assessment Panel is responsible for determining the development application.  The Shire has a key role in assessing and providing a recommendation on the proposal.

The development application process follows the same process as a normal planning application determined by the Shire, except that the decision maker is the Development Assessment Panel (DAP). The Shire must prepare a technical report (referred to as a Responsible Authority Report), based on the objectives and requirements of the Shire's Local Planning Scheme No.4 (LPS4) and other relevant considerations within the planning framework such as State Planning Policies, Local Planning Policies, etc. After considering the Responsible Authority Report (RAR), a decision will be made by the DAP.

The Shire and the DAP must consider the planning merits of the proposal and the planning issues that have been raised in the submissions received. The Shire asks that comments be limited to matters directly related to the planning merits or impacts of the proposal. Matters the Shire is not required to have regard to when considering such a proposal include, but are not limited to, perceived loss of property value, private disputes between neighbours, and matters that are controlled under non-Planning related legislation.

The Development Assessment Panel (DAP) secretariat will prepare a meeting agenda to be published on the Planning Online website. A meeting is held to consider the application. Once the meeting agenda is published, the Shire will notify interested parties and provide details on its website as to where the agenda can be viewed.