At its meeting on Wednesday night, Fremantle Council unanimously passed an amendment that will commence work on a change to the planning scheme that means convenience stores will no longer be able to set up without approval.
Currently, convenience stores are an allowed use, but the change would see convenience stores become a discretionary use, requiring operators to lodge development applications which will need to be publicly advertised.
Importantly, convenience stores will remain a banned use in residential areas.
During debate on the motion, councillors spoke of the risk of increased criminal activity such as firebombings surrounding convenience stores, which posed a threat to lives and buildings, including in the heritage-listed West End of Fremantle.
Councillors also noted the slow progress of State Government legislation to deal with convenience stores despite the City's advocacy for well over a year, and alarming evidence of increasing criminal activity in metro and regional areas and other states.
Fremantle Mayor Ben Lawver said while he appreciated the State Government's work on its own legislation could take time, the proliferation of convenience stores in Fremantle could no longer go unchecked.
"In the 15 months since this issue was first raised by our community, the number of convenience stores in Fremantle has more than doubled.
"Adopting this amendment means as a council, we'll be able to decide when, where, and if more of these shops are needed in our city.
"As a local council, we're moving to do everything we can to curb the spread of these shops and I hope we'll see action from our state government soon as well," he said.
The amendment adopted by Council yesterday was included in a response to a Notice of Motion adopted in August last year and follows extensive advocacy efforts by the City which began in October 2024.
