Melville Council Supports Canning Bridge Precinct Vision

The decision comes after five years of extensive community consultation to develop a Vision which accommodates the predicted population growth and amenity needs of the Canning Bridge precinct. As the result of community feedback, the Vision was recently revised.

Melville Council’s support follows the City of South Perth’s Council decision in September to support the Vision.

Mayor Russell Aubrey said it was important to remember the Vision was a 50-year plan for the future in order to sensibly and responsibly accommodate population growth.

“The State Government's 2031 Directions strategy has proposed that approximately 47 per cent of the State's future population increases occur in urban areas - specifically around transport hubs and activity corridors,” he said.

“The Canning Bridge Precinct Vision takes advantage of the Canning Bridge area’s proximity to: the train along the Perth-Mandurah line; the bus interchange; and the high-frequency bus services along Canning Highway.

“The Vision is not a blueprint for the future, but the beginning of formulating ideas and possibilities to meet the changing requirements of our community in years to come.

“It proposes a vibrant people-focused area, which includes cafes, restaurants, open space and residential developments.

“The Vision will provide current residents with an understanding of the development potential of their land. The potential redevelopment of the Canning Bridge precinct will also make alternative housing stock available, such as apartments and townhouses.

“The document was prepared through a partnership between the Cities of Melville and South Perth, the Department of Planning and the Western Australian Planning Commission (WAPC), with significant input from the public.

“If the Vision had not been supported by Council, the City of Melville planning scheme may not be consistent with the State Government’s Directions 2031 framework. In the absence of an agreed planning framework ad-hoc development may occur with less desirable amenity outcomes for residents.

“The Vision is an opportunity for the City of Melville to engage the State Government in a constructive conversation and have some influence over the future development of the Canning Bridge precinct.”

The Mayor said the Vision would need to be endorsed by the WAPC and further detailed planning studies were proposed including: Traffic; Design Guidelines; Streetscape/Landscape Guidelines; and a Parking and Access strategy.

The public’s input would be sought during these studies and the study findings would be fed into the development of an Activity Centre Structure Plan, which would take approximately two years. An Activity Centre is a community focal point such as commercial, retail, higher density housing, entertainment, civic/community, higher education and medical services. Activity Centres vary in size and diversity and are designed to be well-serviced by public transport.

“To protect the fabric of suburban life and stem the urban sprawl, residents increasingly told us that they are happy to see increased density around transport nodes and transport centres,” Mayor Aubrey said.

“Detailed traffic studies need to be conducted to determine future traffic implications for the area, as well as the best options for infrastructure (roads, bridges and paths) improvement.

“It may not be realistic to expect significant metropolitan growth and a decrease in traffic. As opposed to unplanned growth, proactive planning and design of the Precinct will alleviate the traffic and parking issues and provide a much more desirable Precinct.”

Mayor Aubrey said that, in the longer term, the Vision would be useful for attracting State and Federal infrastructure funding.

“The Council needs to keep its eye on the big picture. We’re in an ongoing consultation process with all stakeholders in order to make informed planning decisions for the next 50 years,” he said.

Further information on the Canning Bridge Precinct Vision is available at: www.melvillecity.com.au/canningbridge or call 1300 635 845.