Controversy over urban infill is brewing again in Perth's leafy western suburbs after the City of Nedlands was told to increase the density of housing in the area by 16-fold in some areas.

Ten years ago, a proposed rezoning of land on Waratah Avenue, Dalkeith spawned a community backlash against high-density development, from Subiaco to Mosman Park.

Residents' concerns were alleviated when the rezoning led to a single project — a four-storey apartment block — rather than a streetscape of high-density housing.

But Nedlands Mayor Max Hipkins is worried a draft local planning scheme for Nedlands will lead to much taller apartments and have a far more significant impact in the long term.

Mr Hipkins said the WA Planning Commission told the City of Nedlands in October it had not been ambitious enough in its plan to boost the number of dwellings.

"We were given a target of 4,400 units to accommodate by 2050 and we allocated these in the areas where we thought they could be best accommodated, maybe along Stirling Highway which has the best transport connections," Mr Hipkins said.

"They came back with a much larger area that they wanted rezoned for higher density, not just along Stirling Highway but west of Broadway and Hampden Road."

A four-storey apartment block was built in Waratah Avenue a year ago after planning changes. ( ABC News: Emily Piesse )

Diversity and choice key: planning commission

But WA Planning Commission chair Eric Lumsden said the City of Nedlands had not been given a set population or dwelling target to meet.

The 4,400 target was a "minimum figure" for town planners to work with, Mr Lumsden said.

"We obviously encourage them to look at those figures on their merits, but also see what the opportunities are," he said.

"We are trying to, on the one hand, generate housing diversity and opportunity for not only older people ... but equally the younger people.

"We're trying to set a degree of certainty, not only for development but also for housing diversity and choice in the future."

Under the draft scheme, some streets in Nedlands — including parts of Stirling Highway, Hampden Road and Broadway, near the University of Western Australia — would have a maximum residential design code (R-code) of R160.

A code of R160 allows 16 units to be built on a 1,000 square metre block.

Concern Subiaco will be next

Nedlands Electors' Association chair Colin Latchem said the WA Planning Commission's proposal would bring "enormous change" to the area.

"We're not talking subdivision, we're talking about really high-density and probably high-rise housing," Mr Latchem said.

"People are concerned about traffic, they're concerned about parking issues, environmental issues and if you take Waratah Avenue, it's hardly a main traffic route.

"I have a feeling that we are the canary in the coal mine and I think that what has hit Nedlands is actually going to hit Subiaco and virtually all suburbs of Perth."

Mr Hipkins wants more integration of town planning in the western suburbs, particularly as state agencies adopt greater powers over planning policy.

"Governments of both persuasions have centralised planning powers and taken more power away from local government. There's now less freedom for council to do what it wants in town planning schemes," Mr Hipkins said.

"Basically, at the moment we're left with very little, just carports and boundary setbacks."

The WA Planning Commission said it had asked the City of Nedlands for further information regarding the draft scheme, particularly around heritage.

"Whilst we are conscious of the sensitivities on a number of these issues, we encourage the community dialogue," Mr Lumsden said.

The draft planning scheme will be open for public comment until the end of March.