East Newman

Precinct Structure Plan

The East Newman Precinct Structure Plan aims to lay the groundwork for a promising future in East Newman by advocating for enhanced social housing and improved access to essential facilities and services.

UPDATE

ENPSP APPROVED BY WESTERN AUSTRALIAN PLANNING COMMISSION

The Western Australian Planning Commission has approved the East Newman Precinct Structure Plan, in a historic decision that will see First Nations led development pave the way for Strong Culture and Strong Family in East Newman.

The WAPC’s approval marks the next chapter of community-led change in East Newman, with proponents now seeking commitments of funding and support to help realise the community’s aspirations in creating a better future for those living in East Newman. 

KNAC Chairperson Keith Hall said the approval marks the start of a new chapter for East Newman.

“We want to see good things happening in East Newman, a safe place for everyone where families can live together,” he said.

“The things in this plan will help us do that, it will create better opportunities for our people to participate and live healthy lives.” 

JYAC Director Murphy Williams wants to see others commit to walking on this journey with Nyiyaparli and Martu. 

“This plan is an important part of building strong Martu families and communities,” he said.

“We have got this one in East Newman approved, now we need to see it happen.”

“We invite anyone who wants to see good outcomes in Newman and our on-country communities of Parnngurr, Punmu and Kunawarritji to join us and make things happen.” 

The proponents, alongside Newman Futures, will now turn their attention to implementing the plan, through a collaborative approach with local organisations in Newman. 

25.08.23

ENPSP APPROVED BY SHIRE OF EAST PILBARA

On Friday, 25th of August the Shire of East Pilbara council voted to recommend the East Newman Precinct Structure Plan for approval at the Western Australian Planning Commission (WAPC) and approved the Scheme Amendment for the Plan.

The Shire of East Pilbara’s recommendation to the WAPC includes a number of modifications including the removal of the proposed Neighbourhood “Hub”, the bough shelters, the proposed connectivity roads and the upgrades to Central Park.

The proponents will now advocate that the ENPSP be approved in full by the WAPC.

The following video was filmed on the day of the Ordinary Council Meeting in East Newman, where representatives from Karlka Nyiyaparli Aboriginal Corporation, Jamukurnu Yapalikurnu Aboriginal Corporation and Puntukurnu Aboriginal Medical Service travelled to present their case for the ENPSP to be recommended for approval by council.

Strong Culture

Strong Families

Nyiyaparli and Martu have a vision for East Newman. Newman is Nyiyaparli Country. Many, many years ago Nyiyaparli asked Martu to look after Jigalong when they travelled from their desert lands, now Nyiyaparli and Martu live in Newman together.

In 2020 Nyiyaparli and Martu came together to sign the ‘This is Our Dream Cultural Compact’ and invite others to listen, follow and join their story. The Cultural Compact is a commitment to laying down new foundations to walk together in a new way with others.

The East Newman Precinct Structure Plan (ENPSP) is one of the first projects resulting from the Cultural Compact, which aims to build Strong Culture and Strong Families in East Newman aimed at keeping culture, language and families strong. The ENPSP aims to create a thriving community in East Newman through establishing key priorities that will allow for better opportunities in healthcare, housing, education and cultural wellbeing.

View ENPSP Info & FAQ’s Booklet

PROJECT VISION

To formalise a Precinct Structure Plan for East Newman, with the key focus being on Strong Culture and Strong Families. This will encourage investment to improve conditions for families by upgrading social housing, introducing basic facilities and community spaces, in turn improving health, education and employment outcomes for Indigenous people in Newman.

The ENPSP forms part of a greater revitalisation project which is complemented by a Masterplan and a Social Plan, outlining an implementation approach designed to build Strong Culture and Strong Families in Newman.

THE PROPOSAL

The ENPSP will introduce three priority areas for change to the East Newman precinct, which complement the existing residential land use of East Newman.

Community Facilities

The ENPSP provides an underlying framework to enable the provision of community facilities, including:

  • Short stay accommodation for those receiving medical treatment and associated cultural and wellness space
  • A neighbourhood centre to accommodate a convenience store, laundry, ablution facilities, a community services triage centre and space for other enterprises
  • A Nyiyaparli and Martu youth facility

Housing

The ENPSP will facilitate upgrades to existing housing to provide for greater livability and variety of homes including:

  • Introduction of Guidelines to facilitate an increase in dwelling numbers
  • Introduction of opportunities for a multi-generational home ownership precinct, providing a diverse range of options for housing tenure
  • Housing designed to meet the needs of, and is fit for purpose for, the people in the community
  • Introduction of built form controls to ensure housing design is climate responsive and appropriate to community needs
  • Identifying opportunities for redevelopment of housing, focusing on corner lots and lots along parks leading to better connection to open space and increased safety
  • Improving the amenity and livability of housing

Public Realm & Connectivity

The ENPSP will facilitate upgrades to public open space and parks, and improved connections throughout the area including;

  • Culturally sensitive improvements to parks and public gathering spaces such as the undeveloped park in the centre of East Newman and the drainage reserve adjacent to Nimingarra Drive
  • Upgrades to streets, ensuring safety and comfort through landscaping and increased tree canopy
  • New road and pedestrian connections to improve access
  • Planning and design of public areas and improved location of community facilities focused on key Nyiyaparli and Martu walking trails

PROPOSAL BENEFITS

The ENPSP proposes priorities that will allow for Strong Culture and Strong Families.

Opportunities for increased social housing that is culturally sensitive and increased home ownership support will reduce homelessness and overcrowding.

A neighbourhood centre will provide space for necessary services like a convenience store, laundry, ablution facilities, a community services triage centre and spaces for other enterprise.

Redeveloping streets to provide increased connection creates an opportunity for passive surveillance, reducing anti-social behaviour.

Community facilities will create spaces to educate young people about culture and language.

Upgrades to community spaces like parks and streetscapes to connect the community.

PAMS short stay accommodation will allow people to stay on Country and near family when receiving medical treatment.

INVESTIGATION & PLANNING PROCESS

In 2022, the KNAC, JYAC and PAMS boards voted to support and become proponents of the ENPSP.

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Recurring Participants

The ENPSP was developed based on the Home in East Newman Masterplan. The Masterplan was created by a Steering Committee comprising representatives from BHP, SoEP, and the Department of Communities. The ENPSP was shaped by 54 engagement initiatives, including workshops and meetings, and involved more than 400 interactions with stakeholders and community members. Around 200 individuals were engaged in the process, with approximately 80 of them participating in the project on a recurring basis.

THE PLANNING FRAMEWORK

The ENPSP is a high-level town planning document prepared in accordance with the Western Australian Planning Commission’s (WAPC) Planning Policy on Precinct Design.

The ENPSP precinct boundary reflects the existing built form and public spaces of East Newman and has a design focus on improvements to housing, community facilities, public realm and connectivity.

The WAPC is the decision maker responsible for issuing approval. In considering the ENPSP, the WAPC will take guidance from the SoEP – which will include comments received from stakeholders during the advertising period and other government referral authorities.

The ENPSP represents a step in the town planning approval process and provides the mechanism for the lodgement of future town planning applications (i.e., town planning scheme amendments, subdivision applications and/or development applications) required to realise the overall design vision for East Newman. If necessary, the ENPSP can be amended post approval.

Frequently Asked Questions

THE SITE & PROJECT TEAM

The ENPSP will apply to the land contained within the East Newman precinct boundary as shown in the image below. It should be noted that the portion of land with Native Title identification within the Structure Plan area on Armstrong Way is excluded from the ENPSP.

Land ownership includes Private Landowners, Companies, including BHP, Department of Communities, WA State Government, JYAC, KNAC, PAMS and the Shire of East Pilbara.

The ENPSP forms part of a broader revitalisation project for East Newman.

The ENPSP aims to have a positive impact on residents’ health, wellbeing and educational outcomes through the creation of opportunities to improve investment into families, amenity and housing.

As recognised by The World Health Organisation’s Health and Housing Guidelines good housing is important to disease prevention, education accessibility, crime and poverty reduction and improved quality of life.

WA is currently amid a nation-wide trend of rising rental prices and low housing stock, particularly in locations heavily tied to the fluctuations of the mining sector.

In Newman, there is significant income disparity between the salaries of those working in the mining sector and other members of the community, which makes it di cult for locals to compete for housing.

Stakeholders working in East Newman have continued to point to high levels of overcrowding, a lack of housing stock and the dilapidated condition of much of the available housing as one of the primary factors in the enduring social disadvantage of East Newman residents.

Overcrowded and substandard housing is directly linked to the rising inequality and a range of health, education and social issues present in Newman.

It is the aspiration of Nyiyaparli and Martu that there be:

  • 0% homelessness
  • 0% overcrowding
  • Culturally purpose-fit housing
  • Home ownership support
  • Multigenerational housing precincts

The ENPSP aims to address these aspirations and makes recommendations on ways to improve the current housing stock and identify opportunities for increasing the amount of housing.

The project team comprises experienced and respected professionals and technical experts including:

• KNAC, JYAC and PAMS

• Hames Sharley Architects and Town Planners

• Newman Futures

Various technical experts, including landscape architects, traffic engineers, bush fire consultants, environmental consultants, hydrologists and acoustic engineers have all been involved in preparation of the ENPSP.

The ENPSP proposes several priorities that will support Strong Culture and Strong Families in East Newman.

The ENPSP will create opportunities for more social housing that is culturally sensitive and increased home ownership support, which will reduce homelessness and overcrowding.

A neighbourhood centre will provide space for necessary services like a convenience store, laundry, ablution facilities, a community services triage centre for services like health care and space for other enterprise.

Redeveloping streets to provide more connection will create more opportunities for passive surveillance, in turn reducing antisocial behaviour.

Community facilities will create cultural spaces to facilitate the transfer of cultural knowledge, language and practices to young people and others, while upgrades to community spaces like parks and streetscapes will connect the community.

PAMS short stay accommodation will allow people to stay on Country and near family for medical treatment.

THE PLANNING PROCESS

The ENPSP was lodged with the SoEP in December 2022. The SoEP administration will consider the ENPSP, and concurrently advertise for public comment and seek input from key government stakeholders. Following the advertising/referral period, SoEP administration will assess the outcome of any submissions received and present the ENPSP to the SoEP Council for final determination. Following the Council’s determination, the ENPSP will be referred to the WAPC for their final determination.

The ENPSP identifies opportunities for development of existing dwellings and community purpose site(s). Any increase in traffic resultant from this has been reviewed through suitable traffic modelling, forming part of the ENPSP. The traffic modelling confirmed the existing road design of East Newman can manage any increase in traffic volumes.

In addition, to improve traffic and pedestrian connectivity, locations for future road connections have been identified. These have been strategically located in areas where connectivity is currently restricted.

Yes, these can be found in the ENPSP Part 2 Figure 30 – also referenced on page 5 of this document. Land use permissibility within the ENPSP shall be determined in accordance with the SoEP.

It is estimated that the planning process and subsequent approvals process will take a further eight to ten months, including consideration by the SoEP and WAPC.

PROPOSED LAND USES

The ENPSP does not propose any amendments to the land use zoning of East Newman, however a key objective of the ENPSP is to introduce a number of additional uses that will be for the benefit of the community, including:

  • PAMS short stay accommodation with an associated cultural & wellness space
  • A Nyiyaparli & Martu youth facility
  • A neighbourhood centre to accommodate a convenience store, laundry, ablution facilities, a community services triage centre, space for other enterprises
  • Culturally sensitive improvements to key open spaces, including the underdeveloped open space behind the houses on Bondini Drive and Kurrajong Crescent, Miners Promise Park (Train Park) and the drainage reserve adjacent to Nimingarra Drive
  • Some lots, where applicable, can be amalgamated and redeveloped to provide a number of grouped dwellings on a single lot, creating opportunities for culturally sensitive, multi-generational housing precincts

The ENPSP was informed by the Masterplan, which was prepared in late 2020 – early 2021 through Newman Futures. The ENPSP is the first project resulting from the ‘This is Our Dream Cultural Compact’, which was signed by Nyiyaparli and Martu in 2020 as a way of coming together in a new way for a better future in Newman.

The Masterplan was prepared in close collaboration with a wide range of stakeholders, in particular BHP, the SoEP, Department of Communities, Nyiyaparli and Martu community members and KNAC and JYAC. The preparation of the ENPSP, with KNAC, JYAC and PAMS as the proponents, included the following stakeholder involvement:

  1. Two design workshops attended by:
    • KNAC and JYAC members and administration
    • PAMS administration
    • BHP (at one workshop)
    • SoEP administration (at one workshop)
  2. Presentation to the Shire of East Pilbara Council’
  3. Presentation to Shire of East Pilbara Executive
  4. Presentation to the Chair of the WAPC
  5. Meetings with key senior staff at the Department of Planning, Lands and Heritage
  6. Presentation and meetings with Department of Communities
  7. Meeting with Chairperson of Development WA
  8. Meetings with key senior staff at Development WA
  9. Presentation/display of the ENPSP at the JYAC AGM

Creating Communities has been appointed to engage on behalf of the proponents of the ENPSP with Government Departments, key stakeholders and the community to help inform the planning process and seek input through information events

In preparing the ENPSP, consideration has been given to any infrastructure upgrades required (i.e., power, water, sewer, drainage and roads) and was confirmed that there is suitable capacity for infrastructure upgrades to accommodate any future development in East Newman.

Are you ready to make your commitment to culture and join us in our vision for a better future in Newman?

Sign the Cultural Compact today

HOW TO MAKE A SUBMISSION

The ENPSP has been lodged by Karlka Nyiyaparli Aboriginal Corporation, Jamukurnu Yapalikurnu Aboriginal Corporation and Puntukurnu Aboriginal Medical Service as joint proponents. 

The Shire of East Pilbara will accept submissions on the ENPSP in writing (via letter or email) until and including 6 July 2023. You can learn more about the submission here

We encourage you to help inform the approvals process for this important initiative by making a submission when the ENPSP is advertised by the SoEP.

Step 1

Read the Info & FAQs Booklet to learn more about the ENPSP.

Step 2

Download a copy of the submission letter here.

Step 3

Submit your letter via the email link below.

Submit your Say!

GOT A QUESTION ABOUT ENPSP?

If you have any questions or queries regarding the East Newman Precinct Structure Plan, please do not hesitate to get in touch with us by filling out the contact form below.

The East Newman Precinct Structure Plan acknowledges the Nyiyaparli Traditional Owners of the Country on which Newman stands and the Martu People as the Custodians of Jigalong which sits in Nyiyaparli Country. We respect and recognise their leaders, past, present and emerging, and we are grateful for the privilege of living and working on this Country.

View East NEWMAN PRECINCT Structure Plan Report

© Creating Communities

CULTURAL WARNING

Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people are advised that the following web page includes images and voices of a deceased person.