Perth Waterfront Project
Western Australian Premier Colin Barnett has committed the State government to the Perth Waterfront development proposal, a plan to reconnect the Perth city centre to the Swan River and create a mixed-use community on the foreshore, similar to those in Sydney's Darling Harbour and Circular Quay and Melbourne's Southbank.
The revitalisation of Perth's Swan River foreshore is a project of State significance, set to transform the area into a vibrant round-the-clock hub of activity. Perth is expected to be the fastest growing capital city over the next 50 years, and the waterfront project will provide a new strategic precinct. The plans include a mix of civic, commercial, residential, retail, education and cultural areas.
The project is aimed as becoming a 'city-defining' initiative that will connect the city to the river and deliver strong economic and social benefits that will be shared across the community and by future generations. RPS remains the lead environmental consultancy for the project
The Perth Waterfront proposal was presented to the Board of the Western Australian Environmental Protection Authority (EPA) in August 2009. The Board commended the project team for its proactive approach in addressing environmental issues early in the concept design process, and endorsed the RPS prepared Environmental Assessment Report (EAR) as the basis for future environmental studies and monitoring programs. The EAR was unique in that it was the first document to adopt a risk-based approach for assessment of a land development project, in accordance with draft reforms to the environmental assessment process in Western Australia. This result has boosted the project and provided increased certainty moving into the next phases of the planning process.
The project has since undergone a redesign, culminating in a revised Concept Plan being released, which has received welcome public and critical acclaim. The design is currently subject to a full analysis from a business case perspective. This work is occurring in parallel with the advancement of the statutory approvals process. RPS is providing environmental planning support, and conducting investigations into potential impacts of the proposal in areas of river water quality, dredging, contaminated land management, urban drainage and riverine habitats, for this iconic and intergenerational project.
For an update on this project, please link here.
