[08 June 2022] “Cities have always been the pinnacle of social, cultural and economic activity,” begins the report of the most recent Property Council WA research on the importance of CBDs.
Titled Creating Thriving Cities: A Shared Vision for Perth, the report prepared by Urbis, calls on all levels of government to align the various plans for the Perth CBD into a master plan, centralising and securing a shared vision for the future of Perth.
According to Property Council WA Executive Director Sandra Brewer, with Perth positioned for a phoenix moment, bringing all the CBD stakeholders behind a shared vision for the state’s capital is a necessary step in securing Perth’s future growth.
“Perth’s momentum is shifting in the right direction. A shared plan will bring together significant announcements such as ECU City Campus, the Perth Cultural Centre’s redevelopment, and an aquatic and recreation centre for East Perth with major private sector investments in Elizabeth Quay, the retail malls, Roe Street, and Barrack Street.
“There are currently many disparate organisations and agencies with interests in the city, each with a different plan for how to improve Perth.
“The opportunity now is to bring all stakeholders together with a collective vision, to coordinate projects and priorities, to set outcomes for public sector infrastructure planning in a publicly accountable manner.
“A plan that sets a direction to allow our state to provide for the future will ensure that Perth’s $80.1 billion economy will continue to grow, thrive, and deliver for our state,” Ms Brewer said.
The report pointed to the Brisbane City Centre Master Plan as a possible model for better government cooperation and coordination. It proposed the City of Perth Committee* could take a leadership role in developing the master plan.
In addition, the report reconfirms the need for a real focus on residential intensification previously highlighted in Property Council’s 2020 research Project 90K. It also reiterates the need for roadmap to provide essential services, like primary schools, a public high school and supermarkets, to drive demand for apartments in the city.
“Now, more than ever, initiatives that position Perth as a beacon of opportunity, attractive to residents, investors, visitors and skilled workers, will support our city to thrive,” Ms Brewer said.
“Measures like rates holidays and unlocking strategic government-owned sites to make inner-city living more attractive will provide the momentum to support a future residential population.
“Many stakeholders are doing great things, and it’s clear the momentum is shifting in the right direction in Perth. It’s time to bring the best ideas and initiatives together under a shared vision for Perth,” Ms Brewer concluded.
