Finbar Group’s new $330 million Civic Heart in South Perth will comprise two towers at 39 and 22 storeys, with the state government giving its tick to planning guideline changes for the site.
The City of South Perth today announced that Planning Minister Rita Saffioti had ratified Amendment No. 56 to the town’s planning scheme, installing a special control area to facilitate development of the Civic Triangle site, bounded by Mends Street, Mill Point Road and Labouchere Road.
The new plan includes two apartment towers and a redevelopment of the heritage-listed South Perth Police Station and Post Office to incorporate hospitality and retail tenancies.
Finbar lodged a fresh development application for the site in late December, around 20 months after it shelved its original, $400 million proposal because of ongoing planning uncertainty in South Perth.
Its original $400 million proposal comprised a single 39-level tower containing 294 apartments, as well as a 3,857 square metre shopping centre to be anchored by a Woolworths supermarket.
Finbar managing director Darren Pateman said the shopping centre proposal had been removed from the new proposal.
"Instead we are seeking to activate Mends Street with a food and beverage precinct with ground floor commercial activation around the entire building," Mr Pateman said.
Mr Pateman said the guidelines announced today allowed the developer to realise the full potential of the site, while also aligning its vision with that of the City of South Perth.
“We welcome the minister’s decision to approve this important amendment that will help Civic Heart become a truly defining project at the centre of an active and vibrant mixed-use precinct,” he said.
“The previous planning scheme was restrictive for a number of reasons, and largely drafted around the expectation of a single-tower development with varied heights and setbacks to allow for multiple landowners.
“We’ve since acquired all the land contained within all three street frontages, which allows for a slimmer, two-tower design, with a smaller floor plate that can also better incorporate the important heritage buildings.”
Finbar is yet to release any images of its new Civic Heart concept, with the developer expected to do so in coming weeks.
Mr Pateman said Finbar worked closely with the City of South Perth, the state government and other local stakeholders to address planning issues in the area.
“Finbar fully supports the city’s vision for the South Perth Station Precinct, which seeks to create a vibrant cultural and commercial heart that provides a high-amenity destination for residents, visitors and local businesses,” he said.
“We have always seen Civic Heart as an important central hub and gateway to the rest of South Perth, bridging the foreshore to the Perth Zoo and leveraging the alfresco lifestyle that makes the city so attractive.”
Meanwhile, the City of South Perth today advertised another potential change to its planning scheme for public comment, covering the Waterford Triangle - an area bounded by Curtin University, Garvey Street, Keaney Place and MacKay Street.
Proposed amendments include increasing the residential density code from R20 to R100, increasing building height limits from two-storeys to five storeys and up to seven storeys subject to specific criteria, and introducing design guidelines for student accommodation facilities.
