City of Perth Council was this afternoon advised of the WA Government’s decision to claim land in East Perth for a new primary school.
Lord Mayor, Basil Zempilas said the Council had been negotiating in good faith with the WA Department of Education over the potential sale of land, prior to today’s announcement.
“This State government is taking City or Perth land valued at $40 million from the ratepayers of the City Perth for nothing,” said Mayor Zempilas.
“The City of Perth has been trying to negotiate with the Department of Education for fair compensation for this land which is owned by the ratepayers of the City of Perth.”
Under the Chevron-Hilton Hotel Agreement Act, the Queens Gardens Car Park land (pictured) can only be used as a car park. Legislation, set to be introduced this week, will repeal the Chevron-Hilton Hotel Agreement Act and see the land provided to the State Government for the construction of a new primary school.
“The City of Perth has requested successive governments over several decades to repeal the Chevron Act and terminate the State Agreement, none of which have progressed until now,” said Education Minister, Dr Tony Buti.
“A new primary school is the ideal catalyst for this to happen.
“As Education Minister, my priority is ensuring young people, and their families have access to a great public education close to home and this new primary school will offer that for people in our capital city.”
The legislation will also unlock a parcel of the Queens Gardens Car Park site to be retained by the Council and clear the way for future housing, the Government said in a statement. The land retained by the Council, once unencumbered by legislation passing, is estimated to be more than $27 million, it stated.
In addition, the State says it will also pay the Council an amount of $4.2 million, in recognition of the forgone car parking revenue for the area of land required for the school during construction. The payment is made to assist the City in preparing the site adjacent to the school for residential development opportunities – increasing housing in the City of Perth, it stated.
“Rather than negotiate in good faith, the State Government has been working on legislation behind the scenes and will introduce it to compulsorily acquire this land from the ratepayers of the City of Perth,” said Lord Mayor Zempilas.
He said the Council offered the Government six options including land swaps, funding for community-based projects, leasing arrangements over state owned carparks and a reduction in the Perth Parking Levy ahead of today’s shock announcement.
“But the State Government has chosen to take our land,” he said.
“The City of Perth has long advocated for a city primary school in East Perth.
“The City of Perth and its ratepayers will lose 513 parking bays and the ongoing associated revenue, equating to $1.5 million per year.”
The Government said it expects the land acquisition, repeal of the Chevron-Hilton Hotel Agreement Act, and its investment in a new school, will contribute economic benefits of more than $60 million to the City of Perth, along with a broad range of social and educational benefits to the East Perth community.
“The primary school will provide the necessary educational infrastructure to ensure the City of Perth’s population targets can be supported and the associated redevelopment is also expected to provide an ongoing uplift in rate revenue for the City.”
“The new East Perth Primary School is now expected to open for the 2029 school year – which is now delayed due to the City of Perth’s decision to block the school, after originally supporting it,” it stated.
“Our inner-city community is growing with more families choosing to live here, which is why we have committed to building a new inner-city primary school in East Perth,” said Perth MLA, John Carey.
“The new East Perth Primary School will be the single biggest investment in a public primary school in our State’s history. We’re talking a $150 million investment from the Cook Labor Government to deliver the East Perth Primary School.
“Our Government is getting on with transformative projects that encourage people to live in our city – the ECU City Campus, the WACA redevelopment, the Pier Street affordable housing development, and a state-of-the-art inner-city primary school.”
