Benefits of community schemes
The introduction of community schemes to Western Australia will create some distinct benefits for property developers, buyers and owners.
Community schemes will help to deliver:
- A flexible new option for the subdivision of land
- Autonomous schemes
- Equitable management of common property
A flexible new option for the subdivision of land
The tiered structure of a community scheme will allow a more flexible approach to the subdivision of land by allowing a mix of both land schemes and building schemes within the same community scheme - something that is not currently allowed for in strata titles schemes.
Combined with the increased autonomy of each community titles scheme, it is expected that this flexibility will facilitate and simplify mixed use developments - allowing different types of schemes to efficiently and effectively co-exist in the same community scheme.
Autonomous schemes
Community schemes will support autonomy and efficiency in scheme management by enabling the most appropriate governance and decision-making to take place at an individual scheme and community scheme level.
Each community titles scheme will have its own community corporation, own set of by-laws to govern the scheme and in most instances, its own common property.
Equitable management of common property
A community scheme will enable common property to be owned and managed in a way that is more equitable and targeted to the uses of its various subsidiary schemes (the community titles schemes).
This is possible by allowing the lot owners of each community title scheme to focus on managing, maintaining and contributing to the common property that relates to their scheme – which might be residential, retail, commercial or industrial.
For example, within a community scheme this clarity around common property could allow a residential scheme to share in the management and costs of a pool, but not in a loading bay, which would instead be managed by a commercial scheme.
In instances where all schemes have a shared interest in common property within the community scheme - such as a common driveway - the owners of lots in each scheme will own a proportionate share in such common property and be required to contribute to the maintenance and management of that common property.