Panel approves Anglican school’s CBD campus

St George's Anglican Grammar School’s $53 million plan for 13-storey campus in the Perth CBD is one step closer to breaking ground.

Hassell has lodged a development application on behalf of the school, with its designs for the new campus and offices at 441 Murray Street.

The City of Perth Local Development Assessment Panel unanimously approved the application, which has an estimated value of $53 million, at its meeting today.

St George's Anglican Grammar School currently operates across a number of locations, with its main campus at 50 William Street, administration offices at 56 William Street and combined classrooms with CQUniversity at 10 William Street.

The school bought 441 Murray Street from Redhill Partners for $23 million in July and has proposed to reuse the existing building on the site for its 13-storey campus through a vertical expansion.

The new campus from Murray Street. Image: Hassell 

Operations at 50 William Street will continue for the foreseeable future, with a staged move to the school’s new campus on 441 Murray Street to start in 2025 and expected to be complete by 2032.

Hassell Principal David Gulland said the first stage of construction was very imminent.

“Student numbers are going up very high, we heard [there will be] about 510 in the next couple of months,” he said at the meeting.

“So we probably need to go faster rather than later.”

From 2025, the new building will allow St George's to grow into a high school housing years seven to 12 on the one campus, according to the development application.

However, principal Tina Campbell said the school wanted to maintain a small population despite welcoming more students.

Ms Campbell said about 800 students and 100 staff were expected to be accommodated after the project was completed.

The campus would house the St George's Anglican Grammar School, Anglican School Commission headquarters and ASC International head office.

The ASC Language School, where students learn English before attending mainstream classes, will occupy one floor.

The designs feature a ‘red ribbon’ staircase, north facing balconies and landscaped areas, with the aim of providing student breakouts and an inner-city identity.

“The drive of the design is the kids in the red jackets [uniforms] providing movement in the city,” Mr Gulland said.

City of Perth development approvals manager Julia Kingsbury said the development could provide night activation in the CBD through school events.

Project managers Tomahawk Property worked with Hassell on the project.