Canning Bridge ripe for renewal

Developers are getting on board with the City of Melville’s vision for a redeveloped Canning Bridge precinct, ahead of changes to the area’s planning scheme expected to be finalised later this year.

A draft vision for the area was released in 2010, which flagged: an increase in residential densities and building heights; creation of a town square and community hub in Applecross; commercial developments adjacent to the freeway in Como; improved bus and rail interchanges; and the installation of a new pedestrian and cycle bridge across the river.

The proposal would potentially allow for buildings up to 20 storeys and has been endorsed by the Western Australian Planning Commission.

A structure plan is expected to be released by the City of Melville later this year, while the WAPC is understood to be evaluating existing infrastructure, including power and water services, as well as analysing traffic conditions to cater for the influx of additional buildings.

City of Melville Mayor Russell Aubrey said the positive reaction towards the precinct vision, was evident from the development of new small bars and restaurants, including the Pepper Wine Bar, which opened in October last year.

Mr Aubrey there was particularly strong interest in expanding the office presence at Canning Bridge, with the city targeting 3,000 new workers being based at Canning Bridge by 2031, growing to 7,000 by 2051.

 “The structure plan will include design guidelines and land-use requirements designed to encourage development that takes advantage of the strategic location of the precinct as an employment hub,” he said.

Mr Aubrey said some development would take place immediately following the release, but the more comprehensive projects would be built over the next 10 years and beyond.

“It should be clear the structure plan is still to be advertised for public comment and until such a time that the plan is endorsed, land developers will not have any certainty of the requirements expected of them.

“We would anticipate a healthy discussion on design requirements during the advertising period.”

However, a residential developer ahead of the game is Norup + Wilson, which recently began construction on the first new project in the redevelopment area – Precinct on Ogilvie.

The $40 million, 34-apartment project is scheduled for completion by September next year.

But it is Norup + Wilson’s Precinct on Canning plan which has the potential to significantly transform the area.

The proposal comprises a $250 million, 20-storey luxury apartment building, with a two-level retail and hospitality zone.

International architecture firm Woods Bagot has designed both the apartment buildings.

Norup + Wilson director John Norup told Business News that up to seven of the hospitality tenancies in the second stage were already spoken for, prior to any marketing taking place.

The Precinct on Canning building is scheduled to begin construction once the Precinct on Ogilvie project is finished in September next year.

“People in the industry are aware of what we are doing, and we’re fitting their space into our building design,” Mr Norup said.

“One of the bar operators, who wants an exclusive little bar, has got a specific design in mind, so we’ve allocated 170 square metres for his bar.

“It’s quite an exciting concept and there’s been huge interest (in the other tenancies), which has been amazing.”

The two projects, Mr Norup said, were expected act as catalysts for further development in the area, once the WAPC released the final structure plan.

One local landholder is diversified development, construction and investment firm Castelli Group, which owns an office building at 56 Kishorn Road, anchor tenanted by engineering and construction group McConnell Dowell.

It is understood Castelli is waiting on the structure plan to release a significant redevelopment proposal for the site, but enquiries to clarify the group’s plans were not responded to at time of publication.

Also in the Canning Bridge area, a $3.9 million plan to construct a three-storey, 12-dwelling project at 73 Kintail Road was approved last month by the metropolitan central development assessment panel.

The site is owned by Goldsphere Corporation, a private entity controlled by Malaysian property developer Chiu Ling Ngooi.