Housing Minister Peter Tinley has released a national survey of 3,312 apartment owners and occupiers that revealed 50 per cent of those in Western Australia cited proximity to public transport as the main reason for buying their homes.
The figure was higher in other States where apartment living is more common – with New South Wales reporting 61 per cent of respondents and Victoria 66 per cent – declaring closeness to public transport the main factor in home choice.
WA Apartment Advocacy’s (WAAA) 2019 National Survey benchmark found that of the 1,138 respondents in WA, 75 per cent lived close to public transport, 70 per cent near parks, 66 per cent within walking distance of cafés and restaurants, and 63 per cent close to shops.
Of particular note, 49 per cent of owner-occupiers and 50 per cent of investors surveyed in WA bought their apartment because it was close to public transport.
The Perth and Peel regions are projected to grow to 3.5 million people by 2050, an increase of almost 70 per cent on our current population.
Increasing the availability of apartments, as well as supplying more housing diversity, is a viable way to support the projected growth while meeting the challenge of protecting WA’s unique natural environment.
The McGowan Government’s vision for WA’s future housing needs includes the application of thoughtful density and design principles – building the right forms in the right places.
WAAA is a not-for-profit group that promotes public awareness of apartment living and housing choice.
As stated by Housing Minister Peter Tinley:
“The fact that half of the apartment owners and investors surveyed bought property because of its proximity to public transport is a ringing endorsement of the McGowan Government’s strategy to promote housing density near transport infrastructure.
“Our priority of increasing the number of homes around train stations by 45 per cent, exemplified by the McGowan Government’s METRONET scheme, is reflective of what WA apartment owners are seeking now and into the future.
“The McGowan Government, in partnership with industry, is building transport-connected, well located, well designed, sustainable and affordable housing where it’s needed.”
