State Cabinet has endorsed a revised $27.8 million development proposal for Albany’s Princess Royal Harbour.
State Cabinet has endorsed a revised $27.8 million development proposal for Albany’s Princess Royal Harbour.
The revised plan now incorporates a new entertainment and convention centre as part of the waterfront development, for which the State Government has set aside an additional $15 million.
Economic analysis indicates the development, a LandCorp project, will generate close to $400 million for the Albany region through to 2020.
Member for Albany Peter Watson said the project would transform the waterfront, delivering significant job and lifestyle opportunities.
“The Albany waterfront is reflecting world trends in waterfront projects by demonstrating that a working port and foreshore development – providing recreational, tourism, fishing and community facilities – can work well together,” he said.
“The Planning and Infrastructure Minister [Alannah MacTiernan] undertook a review of the proposal in 2004 and asked LandCorp to bring their expertise from previous waterfront developments at Mandurah and Exmouth into this project.”
The result of the review is a design for a commercial development with an integrated boat harbour, tourism and entertainment precinct.
LandCorp’s plan has been endorsed by the City of Albany and will include: the Albany Entertainment and Convention Centre located on the waterfront; land allocated for a hotel next to the entertainment and convention complex; retail and commercial sites; a boat harbour for charter, fishing and private vessels; marine related facilities; and a footbridge connecting the lower York Street tourist precinct to the waterfront development.
There will be no residential component to the development, mainly due to noise issues associated with the nearby port.
City of Albany manager of economic development, Jon Berry, said the city was delighted with cabinet’s approval.
“Various plans have been mooted for over 30 years for the waterfront, and the concept very much has widespread community support. There is a lot of frustration that nothing has happened until now,” Mr Berry said.
“One of the key things in developing the waterfront was to ensure 24-hour access to the port, which is the biggest economic driver for the region, so it is a purely commercial development with no residential aspect.”
Previous plans included large residential components in the development, but these were ultimately considered to pose too great a conflict with the port.
The statutory approvals process for the waterfront development will start in August, with remediation and subdivision work commencing in early 2006 for stage one, where the entertainment and convention centre, hotel and tourist facilities will be located.
Construction of the centre, the boat harbour and its land-based facilities will start in 2007.
The waterfront redevelopment will provide about 115 construction jobs, with direct and indirect employment after construction rising to 800.
LandCorp will develop and manage the project, and a memorandum of understanding with the Department of Planning and Infrastructure, the Great Southern Development Commission and the City of Albany will be entered into.
