It is possible for you to run a small scale business from your home, provided you receive planning approval for a 'Home Occupation'. This provides for an occupation or profession to be carried out within a home by a permanent resident of that home.
Considering most home occupations take place within urban areas with neighbouring properties nearby, it is imperative that such are limited to an appropriate scale so as to not generate any adverse impacts.
Accordingly, a home occupation may only be permitted where it:
- Does not cause injury to or prejudicially affect the amenity of the neighbourhood including (but without limiting the generality of the foregoing) injury or prejudicial affection due to the emission of noise, vibration, smell, fumes, smoke, vapour, steam, soot, ash, dust, grit, oil, waste water, or waste products
- Does not entail the employment of any person not a member of the occupier's family except in the case of a professional person;
- Does not occupy an area greater than 20 square metres
- Does not require the provision of any essential service main of greater capacity than normally required in the Zone in which it is located
- Is not advertised by a sign exceeding 0.2 square metres in area
- Does not give rise to any pedestrian or vehicular traffic substantially beyond that which is normal to the neighbourhood in which the business is located
- Is so conducted that, with the exception of a sign complying with paragraph (e) hereof, no indication is given that the house is used for other than residential purposes
- Does not involve the use of commercial vehicles exceeding 1 tonne in weight for the delivery and collection of materials to or from the premises
- Does not require the outdoor storage of materials or supplies
- Has been granted planning approval of Council for a specified period.
Planning approval is required for all home occupations within the Town of Kwinana. To assess an application, details need to be given addressing each criteria listed above. The attached Home Occupation Summary Form lists these criteria and provides space for you to fill out details regarding your proposed home occupation.
This form needs to be submitted with the standard Planning Application Form:
Planning Application FormHome Occupation Summary Form
Note the following fees applicable:
Family Day Care (Up To 4 Children)
No Charge
Business Address Only
No Charge
Certified NIES Applicants
No Charge
All Other Businesses - Initial Fee
$209
All Other Businesses - Annual Renewal $69
Note that home occupations are subject to annual renewal. They also cannot be transferred to another property without planning approval.
What sort of activity can cause problems?
Please bear in mind that a home occupation is a business which does not create problems with your neighbours. The Town of Kwinana often receives complaints from residents about small scale businesses being run from homes which:
- Create repeated, prolonged or loud noise
- Increase traffic in the street by delivery vehicles or the parking of customer or client cars
- Produce smoke, smells, fumes, dust, light, vibration, electrical interferences, waste products and the like
- Are carried out at times outside of normal working hours.
Home occupations are intended to accommodate appropriately scaled small businesses within a residential home. They also provide an opportunity for people to establish a small business initially with limited cost outlay, and then move into a dedicated commercial premise (like in the Kwinana Town Centre) once the business grows beyond a small scale.
Please note that mechanical repairs, panel beating, spray painting and activities involving noisy machinery do not fit into the definition of home occupation. If you cannot comply with the guidelines for a home occupation, you need to look at industrial or commercial premises to set up your business.