West Leederville Activity Centre Precinct Structure Plan

Drone shot for design.JPG

The Town has prepared the Draft West Leederville Precinct Structure Plan (PSP). The Draft PSP is the plan to guide the urban intensification of the West Leederville Centre.

The Western Australian Planning Commission (WAPC) has directed modifications to the Draft PSP which have been advertised for public comment (closed on 10 December 2024).

A report to Council has now been prepared summarising the submissions received and providing a recommendation to the WAPC on any final modifications to the Draft PSP.

Latest Updates

February 2025

The outcomes of consultation and the Town's recommendation to the WAPC on the modified WLPSP will be presented to Council at the 25 February 2025 Ordinary Council Meeting, with the agenda available on 14 February 2024.

Council's recommendation will be forwarded to the WAPC for final determination. 

December 2024

Have Your Say

Community consultation on the WAPC modified draft plan closed on 10 December 2024.

November 2024

WAPC Directed Modification and Re-Advertising 

Your feedback is important as it will help shape the final plan: 

Community Drop-In Sessions at the Leederville Town Hall [No Registration Required]

Join us at one of our community drop-in sessions at the Leederville Town Hall located at 84 Cambridge St, West Leederville WA 6007 to learn more and ask any questions you may have. Sessions will be held on: 

  • Saturday, 9 November from 10am to 1pm

  • Thursday, 14 November from 6pm to 8:30pm

October 2024

Advertising of the draft West Leederville Precinct Structure Plan (with modifications) commences. The public comment period commences on 28 October 2024 and closes on 10 December 2024.

Background

March to August 2024

The Town has developed a work program to undertake the necessary modifications to the WLPSP required by the WAPC to proceed with advertising. The work includes: updated dwelling yields; revised Transport Impact Assessment; detailed analysis of the laneways and establishing plot ratios for building heights exceeding 12 storeys. The Town is scheduled to present the modified WLPSP to Council later in 2024 for consideration to advertise.

An additional body of work endorsed by Council includes the Town undertaking a preliminary heritage survey of places in the West Leederville Activity Centre. This may result in further heritage assessments of identified places.

February 2024

On 13 February 2024, the WAPC's Statutory Planning Committee determined modifications must be made to the WLPSP prior to the Town undertaking advertising. The agenda for this item can be accessed here.

May 2023

At its 8 May 2023 Special Council Meeting, Council resolved to support the revised WLPSP to be submitted to the WAPC for consent to advertise. The revised WLPSP endorsed by Council at this meeting can be viewed here and its accompanying report access here.

Prior to May 2023

Previous planning information and projects relating to the West Leederville Activity Centre can be found on the Town's website here.

Milestones

On 8 May 2023 the Council recommended that that the WLPSP be approved to the WAPC. 

On 13 February 2024 the WAPC Statutory Planning Committee considered the WLPSP and directed the Town to make modification and readvertised the Precinct Structure Plan.  

West Leederville Precinct Structure Plan

The WLPSP area is located less than two kilometers from the Perth CBD and the Subiaco town centre, and less than one kilometre from the Leederville town centre. 

The area is located within an 800 metre walkable catchment, or 10 minute walk, to the West Leederville, Leederville, City West, and Subiaco train stations. The WLPSP area is also serviced by an extensive bus network, including frequent bus services along Cambridge Street. Additionally, West Leederville has good accessibility to the freeway and is connected to a network of cycle and pedestrian paths.  

This strategic location makes the area highly suitable for urban intensification.  

With Metropolitan Perth forecast to grow to over 3.5 million people by 2050 the State Government has developed a series of Metropolitan Regional Plans to accommodate this growth. These plans provide for a mixture of growth at the edge of the Metropolitan Urban Area and urban consolidation within existing centers and along corridors close to public transport infrastructure.

The current Regional Growth Strategy, Perth and Peel @ 3.5 million, has a population growth target for the Town of Cambridge of an additional 15,020 and an additional 6,830 dwellings  by 2050. 

The Town’s Local Planning Strategy allocates where this growth will occur and has identified an additional 1,800-2,000 dwellings for West Leederville. The WLPSP is the plan for how this will occur.  

The WLPSP proposes to:  

  • Provide opportunities for increased commercial and residential developments creating a mixed use area that takes advantage of its inner-city location and access to public transport; 

  • Facilitate the creation of a highly activated 'main street' along Cambridge Street between Blencowe St and Kerr/Holyrood Sts, creating a strong focal point for local retail services; 

  • Retain the residential function to the area between Kimberley to Abbotsford Sts and support a variety of housing types in this area; 

  • Facilitate further detailed planning to develop the Leederville Hub as a high density, mixed use transit oriented development area and to guide development along the northern edge of the area to protect the amenity of existing low-scale development to the north; 

  • Facilitate the creation of pedestrian and transit connections through the area, and in particular create a direct and legible pedestrian connection between Cambridge St and Leederville Train Station through the Leederville Hub and the introduction of a laneway network; 

  • Encourage a gradual 'stepping up' of built form and maintaining a human scale to buildings along street frontages and around public spaces 

As the decision maker on a Precinct Structure Plan, the WAPC considered the WLPSP in January 2024, requiring a number of changes and further studies and that is readvertised. 

The WAPC modified version of the WLPSP(PDF, 16MB) was open for public comment until 10 December 2024. A summary of the changes is contained here(PDF, 14MB)

FAQs

Frequently Asked Questions

Q. What is a Precinct Structure Plan?

A Precinct Structure Plan is a planning document that provides a high-level framework for guiding how an area will be planned and could be developed in the future. This includes the zoning, subdivision and development, as well as design criteria for future development.

A Precinct Structure Plan is not the same as a Development Application. Once a Precinct Structure Plan is endorsed for West Leederville, development application/s would still be required for any development and works. These applications are assessed against the endorsed Precinct Structure Plan.

Generally, developments of a large scale are determined by the State Government through the Joint Development Assessment Panel (JDAP) or State Development Assessment Unit (SDAU).

Precinct Structure Plans are prepared in line with the State Government’s State Planning Policy 7.2 – Precinct Design and follow a standard style and template in accordance with that policy and the new WA Planning Manual | Guidance for Structure Plans. Although a Precinct Structure Plan may include illustrations showing buildings, these are not always based on the controls proposed by the Precinct Structure Plan and are only for context. They are not necessarily representative of the building designs that may eventuate through a Development Application.

Q. Who is preparing the Precinct Structure Plan?

A Precinct Structure Plan may be prepared by the local government, a landowner within the precinct or an agent on behalf of a landowner within the precinct. The Town is preparing the Precinct Structure Plan for the West Leederville Activity Centre.

The Town has prepared the Precinct Structure Plan for West Leederville.

Q. Why is the Precinct Structure Plan being re-advertised? 

The WAPC has directed the Town to make modification to the West Leederville Precinct Structure Plan and readvertise it in accordance with the Planning and Development (Local Planning Scheme Regulations) 2015, Part 4, Clause 22.  

Q. Why is a Precinct Structure Plan being prepared for the West Leederville locality?

The State Government’s State Planning Framework (namely State Planning Policy 4.2 | Activity Centres) identifies and provides guidance on Activity Centres with different hierarchies within the Perth metropolitan area. West Leederville is one of many ‘district’ level Activity Centres in the Perth metropolitan area.

The Town’s Local Planning Strategy defines the West Leederville Activity Centre area. A key action of the Town’s Local Planning Strategy is for a Precinct Structure Plan to be finalised and implemented for the Floreat Activity Centre.

Q. How will the Precinct Structure Plan impact my property?

If your property is located within the Precinct Structure Plan area, the requirements of a Precinct Structure Plan will apply to your property. As the Precinct Structure Plan is subject to advertising prior to final determination, the specific requirements proposed in the Precinct Structure Plan over the area have not been determined yet. A report to Council will be presented later in 2024 outlining the modified Precinct Structure Plan and will be available to the public to view.

The community will have the opportunity to make comments and provide feedback on the draft Precinct Structure Plan(s) when it is advertised.

Q. What is the Town's process of a Precinct Structure Plan?

The State Government regulates the process that local governments must follow for Precinct Structure Plans. This is covered in Schedule 2 Part 4 of the Planning and Development (Local Planning Schemes) Regulations 2015 and more succinctly summarised in the WA Planning Manual Guidance for Structure Plans.

In summary, the steps for the West Leederville Precinct Structure Plan being finalised, include:

  1. Drafting/Preparation: Complete the draft Precinct Structure Plan with the WAPC's modifications and revise the supporting technical studies required for a Precinct Structure Plan.
  2. Council Review: Council consider to support advertising the draft Precinct Structure Plan for public comment.
  3. Submission Review: The Town reviews submissions and prepares a report to the WAPC for recommendation to approve the Precinct Structure Plan.
  4. WAPC Decision: The WAPC reviews the Town’s submitted Precinct Structure Plan and consider whether to modify (which may require re-advertising), approve or refuse the Precinct Structure Plan.

Q. How many more dwellings are expected in the area?

The Town’s Local Planning Strategy estimates the West Leederville Activity Centre should cater for 1800 to 2300 new dwellings to meet the density targets set by the State Government and provide for an additional 52,000m2 of employment floorspace.

Q What if I am concerned about change in the West Leederville area?

Once supported by the Council for advertising, the draft Precinct Structure Plan will be advertised for public comment and the community will have the opportunity to provide feedback on the Town’s draft plan.

Submissions received will be presented back to Council for consideration.

Q. Who will make the final decision?

The final decision for a Precinct Structure Plan is made by the WAPC.

The WAPC will make the final decision in relation to the Town’s Precinct Structure Plan once we provide it to them for final approval.

Q. How can I be involved?

You can get involved in the process for the Town’s PSP through:

  • Staying Informed: Follow updates on the Town’s website and register for Community Consultation email alerts.
  • Direct Communication: Send personal feedback or inquiries to mail@cambridge.wa.gov.au or phone (08) 9347 6000.
  • Public Advertising: Engage with formal public advertising of the draft Precinct Structure Plan and make a submission.