Subiaco dampens Perth merger talks

The City of Subiaco has rebuffed a proposal from the City of Perth to incorporate its key commercial landmarks into the capital city borders while avoiding low-density residential areas.

Subiaco councillors earlier this year voted in favour of merging with the City of Perth under the proposed local government reforms, instead of merging with six other western suburbs councils as advocated by the state government.

However the City of Perth last night voted in favour of an alternative proposal in which it would incorporate Subiaco landmarks including Patersons Stadium, Princess Margaret Hospital, St John of God Hospital and King Edward Memorial Hospital, as well as the Subiaco commercial centre.

Under this scenario, Subiaco would retain low-density residential areas while losing its major commercial infrastructure.

Perth would also take in part of the Town of Cambridge under the proposal.

Subiaco mayor Heather Henderson said in a statement that it was the council's strongly held view that Subiaco should remain intact.

"We are a strong, vibrant community with a long history and it's a mix of residential and commercial interests that makes Subiaco such an exciting place to be," she said.

Under revisions to the government's preferred boundaries announced in November, the City of Perth will expand to include nearby landmarks such as Crown Casino, the University of Western Australia's Crawley campus, QEII Medical Centre, the new Perth Stadium and the smaller nib and Medibank stadiums.

However Perth Lord Mayor Lisa Scaffidi has signalled she is not satisfied with that proposal, which also includes Perth taking in the entire City of Vincent.

She wants the Burswood peninsula and Belmont Park racecourse to be included within the City of Perth, and says other major infrastructure should also be part of the city.

"Given that key infrastructure like hospitals and stadiums are places of employment and attract large transport movements, it makes sense that their management should come to one authority," she said in a statement.

"There is also the key role of championing business investment attraction to our city.

"The areas within Subiaco and Cambridge that we have identified are a good fit, complementing the high-density, inner-city environment and lifestyle of Perth."

The Local Government Advisory Board will present its final report to the state government in the coming months.