The Midland, Bayswater and Forrestfield station precincts will be brought into a redevelopment area known as the METRONET East Redevelopment Area to ensure vibrancy, housing and jobs are the focus of each revitalisation.
METRONET East will maximise development opportunities and provide market certainty to capitalise on the transport infrastructure delivered under METRONET.
The Metropolitan Redevelopment Authority (MRA) will begin the statutory process to extend the Midland Redevelopment Area to include the immediate areas around the Bayswater and Forrestfield train stations.
It is expected the statutory process for Bayswater and Forrestfield will take around 12 months, with Planning Control Areas in place in the interim, administered by the Western Australian Planning Commission, to ensure compatible developments complement the infrastructure projects.
As part of the process, consultation will take place in the coming months with the cities of Bayswater, Kalamunda and Swan on an amendment to the existing Midland Redevelopment Scheme. This will include working with each local government to build on the existing planning work they have undertaken for these areas.
In Bayswater, the Planning Control Area for the construction of the Bayswater Station has been finalised. The redevelopment area and scheme can now be progressed and finalised early next year.
The MRA will work with the City of Bayswater to ensure the Bayswater Town Centre Structure plan informs the new planning framework. Meanwhile, the Department of Planning, Lands and Heritage will work with the City of Bayswater to finalise planning for the areas of the structure plan that fall outside the redevelopment area.
The City of Bayswater will remain the planning authority for the areas outside the redevelopment area.
In Forrestfield North, the Planning Control Area is also in place and the redevelopment area and scheme will also be progressed. The City of Kalamunda will continue to be responsible for planning within the broader North Forrestfield area outside the redevelopment area.
The existing Midland Redevelopment Area and Scheme will remain in place, highlighting the ongoing importance of developing this area with a new train station.
Importantly, the existing City of Swan representatives on the MRA’s Land Redevelopment Committee (LRC), which is responsible for many of the planning decisions in the redevelopment area, will continue. Additionally, both the City of Bayswater and City of Kalamunda will be asked to nominate representatives for the LRC in due course.
The redevelopment model brings with it a strong track record in urban renewal. This includes the Perth, Subiaco, Midland and Armadale areas, and the MRA has the necessary skills and experience to deliver the revitalisation of the Bayswater and Forrestfield precincts, in collaboration with the METRONET team.
Works at Forrestfield Station are well underway, with the station building and 150 metre-long central platform starting to take shape. Design of the 1,200-bay multi-deck car park is also being progressed, ready for construction to start next year.
The Bayswater Station Upgrade tender process has begun, with early works expected to begin in 2019. In preparation for this, a Kurrajong tree will be relocated from Whatley Crescent to Bert Wright Park.
Maps of the proposed redevelopment areas can be found on the METRONET website.
As stated by Planning Minister Rita Saffioti:
“By creating METRONET East we bring together our commitment to creating more housing and employment choice and maximising our transformative investment in the Bayswater, Forrestfield and Midland areas.
“The best possible outcome for each of the METRONET East precincts would be for them to develop into more attractive areas for people to live, work and visit for recreation.
“Each of the precincts will be different to build on what is already great about the communities the redeveloped stations will service.
“It is important for the wider community that the State Government harnesses its investment in METRONET to deliver outcomes such as quality infill, housing choice and jobs – which will build a stronger economy and save taxpayers in the longer term.”
