The City’s Better Suburbs project is on track to creating better lifestyles, better natural areas, better tree coverage and better housing design across several local suburbs.
Developed with extensive community consultation over the past three years, the project provides a long term plan for Balga, Dianella, Mirrabooka, Nollamara and Westminster as well as parts of Balcatta, Hamersley, Tuart Hill and Yokine.
Council recently endorsed the overarching Better Suburbs Strategy that outlines a vision for the project that will encourage:
- Focus investment, jobs and housing growth on corridors and centres
- Residential areas that continue to cater for families and larger households
- More tree coverage
- Opportunities to boost overall liveability.
Along with endorsing the strategy, Council supported a proposed scheme amendment to rezone properties in and around Balga Plaza, Mirrabooka Village and the Nollamara Shopping Centre.
The amendment will allow for new public plazas, new retail, higher residential density and more tree coverage on private and public land. The amendment will become effective upon State Government and Ministerial approval and gazettal, which is expected by the end of 2020.
Council has approved the project’s Neighbourhood Centres Local Development, which outlines building heights, lot sizes and building setbacks for landscaping on each lot within neighbourhood centres.
The City will soon start working with the community to design a plaza at the Nollamara Shopping Centre.
Mayor Mark Irwin said there had been a lot of consultation to get to this point, including listening posts, surveys, design workshops, consultation sessions and an open day.
“We wanted to ensure what is envisioned for these suburbs reflects the community’s needs and priorities,” he said.
“Better Suburbs is as much about rejuvenating these areas as it is catering for population growth, so we’re looking forward to delivering more vibrant and inviting destinations.”
Through the Better Suburbs program, the City is planning for the future of the project area, with its population expected to grow from close to 49,000 people (as per 2016 stats) to about 89,000 people by the year 2051.
Rezoning along corridors and other activity centres in the Better Suburbs area will occur in conjunction with the City’s upcoming Local Planning Scheme No.4 over the next few years.
Image: An artist impression of Nollamara Plaza under the City's vision for the Better Suburbs initiative.
Social Media Share this articleLinks below open in a new window