The Town of Cambridge is developing a 4.8 hectare portion of its land on the corner of Kalinda Drive and The Boulevard in City Beach as a high quality, contemporary and sustainable residential development.  The development has been named 'Ocean Mia' which means Ocean Home.

Release of Design Guidelines

Design guidelines have been developed to protect the aesthetic quality of the development as well as the investment made by new residents.  The guidelines were drafted with input from architects and builders challenged to help ensure the development stays true to the City Beach style.  The guidelines also benefitted from public comments received during late 2006.  They specify requirements for issues such as building heights, setbacks, materials and energy efficiency.  The  Design Guidelines are being reviewed and will be formally considered by Council in the near future.

To view the Final Design Guidelines, click here.

A table comparing the Kalinda Drive Residential Design Guidelines with the Town's current Residential Design Guidelines can be viewed by clicking here.

Background

The development of the land had its beginnings in 1999 when Council gave 'in principle' support to a proposal to amalgamate the City Beach Bowling Club with the existing Floreat Bowling Club.

Since then, a new scout hall has been built at Alderbury Reserve as well as new bowling and croquet club facilities, while the Reabold Tennis Club and other cricket facilities were upgraded.  The redevelopment of the City Beach Bowling Club and Scout Hall land for housing will fund the new facilities which are nearing completion and provide additional money for future Council projects in the Endowment Lands.

To develop the land, Council applied to amend the Metropolitan Regional (Planning) Scheme by transferring the land to an "urban" zone in 2002.  It then put in place a "residential" zone in its own Town Planning Scheme which required the approval of the WA Planning Commission and the Minister for Planning.

Through that approval process, the amendment to the Town Planning Scheme was adopted by the Council at a density of R30/40 with an average density of R35.  This translates to a mix of sizes in the order of a minimum 200 square metres up to just over 400 square metres, with an overall average of 260 square metres.  The Town Planning Scheme amendment was finalised in August 2004 with advertising in the Government Gazette.

The Outlilne Development Plan

At the beginning of 2005, a project team was appointed to undertake the development of the land.  A proposed Outline Development Plan for the site was prepared to address the relevant planning, design, engineering and environmental aspects of the project, and was advertised for public comment.  This public comment period expired on 2 December 2005, at which point more than 160 people and organisations had submitted comments and concerns regarding the Plan.

The Town of Cambridge Mayor and Councillors, and a group of representative concerned residents, then held a series of meetings with the planning team to develop a range of new options in order to find the best solution that takes on board community comment while addressing the demands of State Government policy.

A new preferred Outline Development Plan was drafted in consultation with residents and other stakeholders and, after approval by Council in May 2006, was presented to the Western Australian Planning Commission which gave its approval (with some minor conditions) in July 2006.

Key features of the Plan

To download a brochure in PDF format detailing the key features of the preferred Outlined Development Plan click here.

Key features of the Outline Development Plan include:

Maintaining the City Beach Style

• Significant public open space;
• Landscaped parklands on the northwest corner;
• Small intimate spaces  to promote community lifestyle;
• Large sections of public open space, generous setbacks and landscaping along The Boulevard and Kalinda Drive;  and
• Many mature, established trees to be preserved.

Access and Parking

• Internal road and laneway layout prevent through traffic;
• Visitor parking provided on internal roads;
• No parking bays along Kalinda Drive and The Boulevard;
• Generous road reserve widths;  and
• Access to Ocean Gardens Retirement Village.

Lot Sizes and Housing Mix

• Good number of lots larger than 300 square metres and 400 square metres;
• Mix of housing catered for with a range of block sizes and land being set aside for group housing;
• Limited height for retaining walls outside and inside the development.

Home Design

• Provision for some split-level housing and terraced housing;
• Larger block sizes provide for family-size homes or larger gardens;  and
• Ample capacity for homes to accommodate lifts, providing greater accessibility for seniors and people with a disability.

A Sense of Community

• Lots to front all streets and open space areas promote safety through easy surveillance, and providing a pleasant streetscape;
• Public parks will encourage a range of activities such as outdoor dining and neighbour interaction;
• Planting of complementary indigenous and European trees and preservation of mature trees, in keeping with City Beach tradition;
• Enhancing the environment by using indigenous plants to complement existing coastal flora;
• All roadways lined with footpaths and rows of street trees;
• Various forms of public art will recognise the site's cultural and natural heritage;
• Lots to have good solar access to facilitate energy efficient development;  and
• Use of the site's existing terrain to ensure efficient site works.

Subdivision Approval

Subdivision approval was granted by the WA Planning Commission in December 2006.  With this secured, Council was in a position to proceed to tender for a suitable construction company to carry out the civil works required to put the subdivision in place.

Construction Activities

The Council approved a preferred tenderer at its meeting in April 2007.  Contractual details are to be finalised prior to the contractor being formally engaged to undertake the site works.  Construction is expected to begin in mid 2007.  Further details will be provided as the project progresses.

Other Progress

Important environmental work including an inspection of trees and other existing plants to be salvaged from the site was completed earlier this year in consultation with the Arbor Centre and Grass Trees Australia.

Grass Trees Australia have also carefully removed 30 Zamias and five impressive Grass Trees and will care for them until they are ready to be relocated as part of the landscaping at Ocean Mia.

These beautiful plants will give Ocean Mia an established feel and will help in integrating the development of City Beach.

The site is quite degraded in sections, but a number of healthy, mature trees as well as these Grass Trees and Zamias will be preserved and mixed with extensive new plantings, native to Bold Park.

Grass Trees take around 100 years to grow a one metre trunk so to be able to preserve these plants is important for the entire community.

Sales

There's been strong interest in the new lots, including a number of inquiries from existing residents within the Town of Cambridge!  At this stage the first sales are proposed for late 2007.

Further Information

For more information on any aspect of the development please telephone free call 1800 233 899 or email kalinda@millswilson.com.au.

Kalinda Drive/The Boulevard Land Development Brochure - March 2006 (released April 2006)

Business Plan - Kalinda Drive/The Boulevard Land Development

Kalinda Drive/The Boulevard - Design Guidelines Descriptive Brochure