City of Perth Council has unveiled an ambitious plan to significantly boost the number of people who live and work in the City.
Councillors this week voted to recommend the City’s first Local Planning Strategy be sent to the Western Australian Planning Commission (WAPC) for approval.
Council says the Strategy is a comprehensive plan based on extensive community consultation and evidence gathered from studies underpinning the Strategy.
Lord Mayor, Basil Zempilas said the Strategy sets an ambitious target to almost double the City’s residential population by 2036 – to more than 55,000 people.
“Our City’s significant population boost over the past 20 years shows that more people want to live in a vibrant community, close to a range of services, public transport, employment and study opportunities,” the Lord Mayor said.
“This is an important piece of work that sets the direction for the City as a place to live, work and play.”
The Lord Mayor said population growth would be distributed across the City’s six neighbourhoods, with appropriate areas for higher density living identified in the Strategy.
“With an increased population comes the need for improved infrastructure and the Strategy also outlines improvements to the City’s public realm, sustainable building design, community facility planning and provision of new schools.”
At the same meeting the Council also voted to support an amended version of Amendment 41 to the City Planning Scheme.
The main purpose of this scheme amendment is to create the Northbridge Special Entertainment Precinct (SEP), the first protected entertainment precinct in the State while at the same time giving certainty to developers about building requirements for the area.
Council says the amendment is intended to give more clarity to existing venues, future venues and developers. It will also aim to reduce noise complaints by setting higher noise attenuation standards for entertainment venues and residential developments, as well as setting a noise limit for venues.
“This is a huge step towards protecting Northbridge as the State’s premier entertainment area, boosting the night-time economy and vibrancy of the City. The amendment sets an agreed noise limit for venues and a new standard for buildings to keep the noise in,” Lord Mayor Zempilas said.