DevelopmentWA has officially approved plans for the construction of a $165 million East Perth primary school, after early works started five months ago.
DevelopmentWA has officially approved plans for the construction of a $165 million East Perth primary school, after early works started in October.
The state government announced today main works for the project on the former Queens Gardens car park site had been given the green light by its land development agency.
Forward works for the four-storey school had already begun after the Department of Housing and Works and the Department of Education received approval from DevelopmentWA in June last year for stage one of the two stage plan.
CPB Contractors were awarded contracts to demolish the car park in September, with Education Minister Sabine Winton saying works would begin in the following month.
Stage one's early and forward works were scheduled to finish last month, according to the application.
Construction of the school, in the stage two application, was estimated to cost $120 million and reach completion by June 2028.
The school is set to open for term one of 2029, accommodating up to 600 students.
Plans feature a four-storey building with learning areas and specialist classrooms, a community hall and library, administration and staff facilities, sports fields and courts, and landscaping.
“For the first time in 50 years, Perth children will be able to attend a public primary school in the CBD, ensuring inner-city families have access to a high-quality local education close to home,” Ms Winton said.
The main works application from November last year mentioned discussions surrounding the demolition and reconstruction of the Gloucester Park boundary wall to the east of the site were ongoing.
“Whilst discussions are advanced and are in support, formal endorsements are in the process of being obtained,” it read.
“In this respect, the treatment of the Gloucester Park boundary wall does not form part of this development application and will be subject of a separate planning process.”
Future expansion of the school was flagged as a possibility if needed by the Department of Education, the document showed.
“While the site of the 17-bay car park on Nelson Crescent may provide for future additional classrooms and a possible dental clinic, such potential future expansion facilities are not funded and do not form part of this development application,” the stage two plan read.
“Any such facilities would be subject to a separate development application process with DevelopmentWA.”
A dispute between the state government and the City of Perth had erupted over the East Perth school proposal when it was first announced in 2023.
Early in the following year, the council voted to decline a major land transaction that would cede the Queens Gardens car park to the state government.
But later in 2024, the government passed legislation in parliament to unlock the site for development.
