Canning Bridge Activity Centre Plan Review
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Help review the Canning Bridge Activity Centre Plan to ensure it meets the needs of the community now and into the future.
Last Updated: 2 May 2022 Follow EngagementEngagement Updates
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We are reviewing the Canning Bridge Activity Centre Plan, with independent facilitator Hatch RobertsDay, to ensure it meets the needs of the community within the City of Melville now and into the future.
Adopted in 2015, the Canning Bridge Activity Centre Plan (CBACP) established a foundation for the future of the area in the form of the Canning Bridge Precinct Vision Statement together with goals for ongoing development, guidelines for the style of built form and an implementation framework for improvements to infrastructure and land over time. The Plan is the primary development control document to guide decision making in the area and includes specific planning controls related to the application of discretionary height bonuses and development contributions.
Since it was adopted, questions and concerns have been raised about the type and impact of development occurring within the Canning Bridge Activity Centre. This has been a key motive for Council's decision to undertake this review.
What Will This Review Do?
Informed by development outcomes to date, this review will provide an opportunity for Council to work collaboratively with the community to consider different viewpoints and explore options to test the current vision, principles and controls.
The review will:
- Examine height controls,
- Consider transition between different height zones,
- Review the operation of the bonus height provisions and
- Respond to general aspects of the Activity Centre Plan,
- Update the current Plan in ways that are open, transparent and empowering for those most likely to be impacted by any revisions made.
Community Involvement
Community Survey
To clarify community expectations about the current CBACP and its place outcomes to inform potential future improvements to the CBACP we asked you to share your feedback with Hatch RobertsDay. The survey explored the following topics:
- Vision and goals
- Stakeholder feedback
- Community benefits
- Transparency and certainty
The survey closed at 4.00 pm on Tuesday, 17 November 2020.
Community, Business and Landowner Workshops
The workshops were an opportunity for community, businesses and landowners to learn about the project objectives and share their perspectives, concerns and priorities. The workshops were held from 5.30 pm to 7.30 pm at Swan River Rowing Club on:
- Monday, 30 November 2020, and
- Wednesday, 2 December 2020.
Place Design Forum
Hatch RobertsDay ran a Place Design Forum (PDF) across three days. The aim of the PDF is to facilitate a collaborative approach which maximises stakeholder input, through a planning and design process. The Project Team, City Staff and Councillors, and a selected Stakeholder Group (representative of a diversity of views) will participate in this process.
The PDF comprised a three-day consultation process*, including an Open Evening presenting preliminary outcomes. The PDF was held at the City of Melville Civic Centre on:
- Monday, 22 February 2021, 9.00am to 5.00pm
- Tuesday, 23 February 2021, 9.00am to 5.00pm
- Wednesday, 24 February 2021, 9.00am to 5.00pm
- Open House: Wednesday, 24 February 2021, 6.00pm
(*note: Participants were not required to attend all the sessions)
The PDF built on preceding engagement outcomes and was the primary means through which the Canning Bridge Activity Centre Plan Review options are developed and refined. As such, feedback gathered through the PDF is critical to the project’s ultimate success.
Community representatives were selected via an Expression of Interest (EOI) as well as stakeholders that have formerly registered their interest to be involved in the project.
Read about the Place Design Forum.
Expressions of Interest closed at 5.00pm on Friday, 29 January 2021.
Open House
The community were invited to collaboratively engage with us after the Place Design Forum, to ensure the key outcomes reflected in the Draft Precinct and Place Report appropriately reflect a balance of stakeholders views.
The Open House was held on Wednesday, 24 February 2021 at the following sessions:
- Session 1 - 6.00pm to 7.00pm
- Session 2 - 7.00pm to 8.00pm
About the Review Process
Council resolved to commence a full review of the Canning Bridge Activity Centre Plan at the Ordinary Meeting of Council on Tuesday, 19 November 2019. Hatch RobertsDay were engaged and will be independently facilitating the process and are taking the lead on coordinating the stakeholder engagement.
Timeline
26 October 2020
Community survey opens
17 November 2020
Community survey closes
Monday, 30 November 5.30 pm to 7.30 pm
Community, Business + Landowner Workshop
Learn about the project objectives and share your perspectives, concerns and priorities
Wednesday, 2 December 5.30 pm to 7.30 pm
Community, Business + Landowner Workshop
Learn about the project objectives and share your perspectives, concerns and priorities
Monday, 22 February to Wednesday, 24 February 2021
3 Day Place Design Forum
Work alongside technical experts to review the Canning Bridge Activity Centre Plan
28 June 2021 – 5 July 2021
Workshop with Stakeholder Working Group
Place Design Forum attendees and Focus Group members on the Outcomes Report (Precinct and Place Repo
How We Engaged With You
Who did Hatch RobertsDay engage with? The focus of this engagement will be on the people who most likely to be impacted positively or negatively by the current Plan and will include:
- Local residents and ratepayers/landowners
- Local businesses
It will also include Council and City of Melville staff along with Government Agencies (such as Main Roads, Department of Planning Lands and Heritage, City of South Perth) who will ultimately be responsible for implementing elements of the plan.
Invitations to participate will be sent to a random sample of people living within Applecross and Mount Pleasant along with an advertorial in the local newspaper and posts of the City's Facebook.
How could you get involved? There were a number of opportunities to get involved through an extensive program of engagement activities (outlined above) including:
- Community Survey
- Community Workshop
- Business Workshop
- Place Design Forum
- Public Open House
The program focuses on listening, testing the vision, understanding key issues and concerns.
What will happen with the information shared at these engagement activities? The information shared in the community survey will go on to inform the events that follow. This will shape the agenda for the Place Design Forum which will set the stage to explore the implications of keys issues through a holistic and integrated approach.
The aim of this stakeholder engagement process is to respond to different viewpoints and explore options to arrive at unified solutions to update the CBACP accordingly.
What is the current vision for the CBACP? The Canning Bridge Precinct Vision Statement guides the Canning Bridge Activity Centre Plan (CBACP).
‘The Canning Bridge area will evolve to become a unique, vibrant, creative community centred on the integrated transport node of the Canning Bridge rail station. The area will be recognised by its unique location, its integrated mix of office, retail, residential, recreational and cultural uses that create areas of excitement, the promotion of its local heritage and as a pedestrian friendly enclave that integrates with the regional transport networks while enhancing the natural attractions of the Swan and Canning Rivers’
What are the goals of the CBACP? Consultation
- G1: The community continues to be involved in implementation for the CBACP area, through online information and local news. Specific planning applications will be communicated to affected landowners, and the City of Melville and the City of South Perth will have a combined Design Advisory Group which will include representatives from each Council that consider the quality and contribution of all new development.
Place activation
- G2: The local character, function and strength of each unique ‘Quarter’ (see Section 7) will be built upon in the implementation of the CBACP. Local events, such as fresh produce and hawkers markets and concerts, will be encouraged and enabled and the CBACP area will be known as a place to work, live and visit.
- G3: Q6 will be a vibrant hub for passengers moving freely and safely between transport types and enjoying the adjacent parklands and river front. The journey to and from Q6 will be comfortable and memorable.
Built Form
- G4: The CBACP area will be a demonstration of quality architecture with a strong focus on built form and public space interaction, providing multiple accommodation, commercial and employment opportunities.
- G5: The CBACP area will be welcoming to all members of the community and will provide a range of accommodation and recreation options for the variety of cultures, socio-economic groups and age groups which live, work and play in the area.
Innovation
- G6: Developers will be encouraged to provide innovative spaces and places that will benefit the whole community, including areas to access views, Civic uses, open space, recreation and entertainment.
Accessibility
- G7: The CBACP area will be developed with consideration of safe, efficient, and universal access to, through and within the diverse activities and facilities of the area.
Sustainability
- G8: The CBACP area will be a model for the development of greener buildings, more efficient transport usage, and more sustainable lifestyle options. The local residential community will be encouraged to work in the area or travel via public transport to work and public open spaces will be encouraged horizontally and vertically throughout.
Crime Prevention
- G9: The CBACP area will be active and vibrant and the community who frequent it will feel safe and secure. Design of buildings, spaces and services will contribute to its safe enjoyment at all times of the day and night.
Environment
- G10: Development of CBACP area responds to its excellent natural attributes, making best use of the river and its adjacent areas for community enjoyment and ongoing education about the local environment.
Staging and implementation
- G11: Staging of development is considerate of the community impacts of development over time, including transition from lower to higher density development and provision of necessary community infrastructure.
- G12: The CBACP area develops sensitively and carefully over time to ensure that the benefits of development are realised by all members of community.
What is a community benefit? Community benefits are infrastructure that provides value to the community.
I've heard of development incentives, bonus provision, height bonuses and development bonuses but what are they? Essentially development incentives are additional development potential offered to developments of exemplary design in exchange for community benefits. They are also known as:
- bonus provisions
- height bonuses
- development bonuses
An example of a development incentive is allowing additional building height in exchange for public spaces.
What is exemplary design? Exemplary design is of high quality and inclusive of features that are innovative or outstanding and serves as a desirable model to others.
What height restrictions does the CBACP have and where are they? Currently there are four zones
- M15: Mixed use buildings with base heights up to 15 storeys
- M10: Mixed use buildings with base heights up to 10 storeys
- H8: Residential up to 6-8 storeys
- H4: Residential up to 4 storeys
In the M10 and M15 Zones, additional storeys can be awarded which show exemplary design and provide community benefits. Lots in the M10 zone which interface with the H4 and H8 zones are restricted to a maximum height bonus of 5 storeys.
The diagram below shows the location of these heights within the City of Melville.

What are transitional areas? Transitional areas are places where there is a change between the development potential of adjacent properties. For example changes in building height zones within the CBACP area and where the H4 zone (for buildings up to 4 storeys) is near single storey properties that are outside of the CBACP area.
Contact Us
If you require any further information about the Review of the Canning Bridge Activity Centre Plan.
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