The Western Australian Planning Commission (WAPC) and Department for Planning and Infrastructure (DPI) have engaged consultants GHD Pty Ltd to develop a precinct plan for the suburb of Ashfield to take advantage of its strategic location and under-used industrial land.
WAPC Chairman Jeremy Dawkins said planning for a major activity centre at Ashfield is a component of the Maylands-Guildford activity corridor project which is investigating ways to revitalise the land in railway station precincts between Maylands and Guildford.
"Under the State Government’s Network City planning framework, ‘activity centres’ are vibrant places that support a variety of uses – for example living, employment, education, retail, recreation and services," Mr Dawkins said.
"Ashfield is a strategically important area within the Maylands-Guildford project. With its prime link to the airport, and with land at a premium in the metropolitan area, Ashfield is ideally placed to capitalise on its location and available land for more intensive transit oriented development.
"Planning for a major activity centre at Ashfield gathered momentum in mid-2007 when DPI and LandCorp commenced a joint study, followed by a stakeholder workshop, to determine the potential future role of Ashfield in relation to the Perth metropolitan region within a Network City context.
"The workshop outcomes supported progressing planning initiatives towards achieving a major activity and employment centre at Ashfield.
"The City of Bayswater, Town of Bassendean, the DPI/WAPC and other relevant stakeholders will use the planning framework to make informed decisions about the future use of land within, and adjacent and connected to, Ashfield."
A desktop analysis, economic analysis, urban design framework, movement network analysis and an enquiry-by-design workshop - all leading up to a final precinct plan will be completed by the end of 2008.
Planning projects for the Maylands and Bassendean town centres, as other components of the Maylands-Guildford activity corridor project, are also in the pipeline.
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Media contact: Natasha Farrell (08) 9264 7518 / 0408 955 604