Architects in Perth are increasingly asked to demonstrate how a design supports safer outcomes, particularly at the ground plane, in transition zones, and wherever public access interfaces with semi-private space. A CPTED report is often the tool used to show that thinking has been applied in a structured, defensible way.
The challenge is that CPTED can become vague if it is treated as a generic “crime prevention” overlay. The best CPTED input is specific, tied to plans, and realistic to build and maintain. It should help you reduce foreseeable risk without compromising amenity or turning the project into a fortress.
This article is a practical, architect-friendly checklist you can use to reduce redesign cycles, avoid late-stage surprises, and support smoother stakeholder reviews in Perth.
Why CPTED comments get sent back or trigger redesign
Most CPTED rework is not caused by “bad design.” It is caused by unclear scope, missing context, or recommendations that are not practical to implement.
Common reasons CPTED reviews get pushed back include:
- the report reads like a generic template and is not anchored to the drawings
- there is no clear link between design features and real risk scenarios
- recommendations are too broad to action (for example, “improve lighting” without clarifying where and why)
- the report does not address transition zones where issues often arise (car parks, entries, side paths, service corridors)
- responsibility is unclear (who owns lighting, landscaping, access control governance, after-hours management)
- operational assumptions are missing (hours of use, after-hours access, expected user groups, tenancy interface)
A CPTED report that avoids these issues is usually the difference between “accepted” and “more information required.”
What to provide before requesting CPTED input
A CPTED consultant can only be as specific as the documentation allows. If you want a useful, implementable CPTED outcome, provide enough context to avoid guesswork.
At a minimum, share:
- site plan showing boundaries, surrounding uses, and key desire lines
- ground level plan(s), including entries, lobbies, back-of-house, and any public interface
- car park layout and pedestrian routes (even if concept level)
- elevations/sections that show fence heights, screening, landscaping intent and lighting positions if available
- intended use, hours of operation, and expected user profile
- any constraints that cannot change (heritage, services, gradients, access requirements)
- any known stakeholder concerns (local issues, community feedback, previous incidents nearby)
If the project is still early, that is fine. The report should be staged to match the design phase.
CPTED report checklist Perth: the essentials to cover
A strong CPTED report for Perth projects should cover the design principles, but it also needs to show how they apply to your site and drawings. Use the checklist below to verify nothing critical is missing.
Site context and movement patterns
CPTED is heavily influenced by how people will move through a place. A good report should describe the site context clearly and identify movement routes and transition points.
Include:
- surrounding land uses and how they influence activity (day/night patterns)
- public to semi-private transitions (street to entry, car park to lobby, shared paths to tenancy)
- desire lines and where people are likely to shortcut
- areas that will be quieter or less supervised (rear edges, service corridors, isolated bays)
- conflict points between vehicles and pedestrians, especially where visibility is reduced
Design teams often reduce risk simply by making movement legible and predictable.
Natural surveillance and sightlines
Natural surveillance is not about “more glass everywhere.” It is about controlling where visibility matters most and eliminating avoidable concealment.
Checklist items:
- visibility to key routes, entries, and waiting areas
- reduction of blind corners, recessed alcoves and deep shadow pockets
- treatment of pinch points and narrow corridors
- glazing and transparency used strategically at ground level interfaces
- sightlines into lifts, stair access points, and transition areas where risk behaviour clusters
- placement of active uses so they overlook risk zones (where appropriate)
A CPTED report should identify the exact areas where sightlines are limited and propose practical changes.
Lighting and after-hours visibility
Lighting is one of the most common CPTED failure points because it is easy to “assume it will be fine later.” In practice, poor lighting creates predictable fear points and risk zones.
Checklist items:
- consistent illumination along key pedestrian routes, not just at entries
- avoidance of glare, harsh contrast and spill light that reduces visibility
- lighting coverage of car parks, approach paths, service entries and side routes
- consideration of after-hours use and time-based activation
- coordination with landscaping so vegetation does not create shadow pockets over time
The best CPTED reports call out where lighting needs to support surveillance, wayfinding and safe movement.
Access control and threshold design
Access control is not just doors and readers. It is how a design signals boundaries, controls movement, and reduces casual opportunistic access.
Checklist items:
- clear separation between public, semi-private and private areas
- controlled after-hours access points (and minimised secondary entries)
- avoidance of “hidden” entries that enable loitering or unsupervised access
- control of back-of-house routes, service corridors and bin enclosures
- treatment of car park to building transitions, especially lifts and stairwells
- measures to reduce tailgating and unauthorised follow-through
Your CPTED report should show how thresholds work, not just list access control as a concept.
Territorial reinforcement and ownership
Places that look unmanaged or ambiguous about “who belongs” tend to attract misuse. Territorial reinforcement is about making ownership obvious and supporting legitimate use.
Checklist items:
- clear boundary cues through design, landscaping and surface treatments
- legible wayfinding and intuitive routing to reduce wandering
- defined semi-private zones where passive oversight exists
- avoidance of dead spaces where loitering can occur undetected
- management cues that show the space is cared for (without relying on signage overload)
A good CPTED report also flags where shared spaces need clear ownership and maintenance responsibility.
Activation and legitimate activity support
Activation is a practical tool for reducing risk. Empty, underused edges often become problem areas, especially after hours.
Checklist items:
- placement of active uses to overlook approaches and transition zones
- passive surveillance from tenancies or internal activity where appropriate
- avoidance of blank walls along key routes
- consideration of after-hours closure and how inactive areas are secured
- reducing “hidden pockets” that allow loitering away from oversight
CPTED is often strongest when it supports how people naturally behave rather than fighting it.
Landscaping and maintenance considerations
Landscaping is one of the fastest ways CPTED outcomes degrade over time. What looks open at practical completion can become concealment in 12–18 months if maintenance realities are not considered.
Checklist items:
- vegetation placement that preserves sightlines at key interfaces
- plant selection and height control near paths, entries and car parks
- avoidance of dense planting that creates concealment near transition zones
- long-term maintenance responsibility and realistic schedules
- integration with lighting (vegetation must not block light spread or create shadow pockets)
CPTED reports should address the operational reality, not just design intent.
CCTV and technology as supporting controls
CCTV should support the design and operations. It should not be used as a substitute for good sightlines, lighting and access control logic.
Checklist items:
- CCTV purpose defined for key zones (deterrence, detection, identification)
- coverage aligned to real risk behaviours (faces at entry, transition routes, car park interfaces)
- practical camera placement that avoids being blocked by planting or structures
- consideration of monitoring responsibility and retrieval process
- technology discussed as one control among many, not the first answer
A CPTED report that includes CCTV should keep it outcomes-based and vendor-neutral.
Operational and management assumptions
Many CPTED outcomes depend on how a space is managed. A DA-aligned CPTED report should identify the operational assumptions that affect risk and ensure they are realistic.
Checklist items:
- hours of operation and after-hours access arrangements
- security presence assumptions (if any)
- cleaning, maintenance and inspection cadence
- tenancy change impacts and how security will be managed over time
- incident reporting and escalation basics (high level)
This is where CPTED moves from “design theory” to real-world performance.
How to use CPTED input during the design workflow
CPTED input is most valuable when it is staged. It is easier to adjust planning and ground plane layouts early than to retrofit later.
A sensible workflow is:
- concept stage: identify major risk zones, movement patterns, and key interface issues
- design development: refine sightlines, lighting intent, access thresholds and landscape logic
- documentation: confirm details that preserve CPTED outcomes through construction and handover
If you engage CPTED late, the report will often identify issues that are expensive to change. Early engagement helps protect both budget and programme.
Where this article fits with DA CPTED reporting
This checklist is designed for architects and design teams who want a clear framework and fewer surprises.
If you require a project-specific CPTED report supporting a development application in Perth, see our CPTED reporting page for development applications, which explains what is included and how the process works.
Next step: a confidential conversation
If you would like an independent CPTED review of your project’s ground-floor interfaces, car park and pedestrian transitions, or public realm edges, Smartsec Security Solutions can help.
For a confidential conversation, please contact us via our Contact page.
