Four 30-storey buildings — offering a mixture of office and retail space as well as apartment living — could be built in the heart of the Perth central business district next to the new $853 million Edith Cowan University, as the transformation of Perth into a world-class city continues.
Lands Minister John Carey has announced the sale of the final four commercial lots on the Perth City Link, with planning laws allowing for developments of up to 30 storeys.
Located next to the under-construction Edith Cowan campus in Wellington Street, the expressions of interest process to buy the sites begins on Wednesday.
The lots range in size from 2115sqm to 3941sqm.
Mr Carey said it was expected the lots would be in high demand, with “significant interest” from local, national and international companies.
“The State Government is particularly interested in projects that have a significant student accommodation or residential outcome, bringing more people and activity to the Perth CBD on a daily basis,” Mr Carey said.
“We’re keen to see what world-class commercial, retail, mixed-use and residential precincts can be delivered that capitalise on this location, and clearly residential and student accommodation would be received favourably.”
The Perth City Link project has been a work in progress for more than 10 years, starting with the sinking of the railway line that once separated the Perth CBD from Northbridge.
The sinking of the rail line and the Wellington Street Bus Station has created a 13.5-hectare space right in the heart of Perth.
Yagan Square, recently further redeveloped to encompass the multi-storey Stories venue, was borne out of the Perth City Link project.
“The Perth City Link will play a pivotal role in supporting CBD businesses and furthering Perth’s growth as a thriving modern city, delivering more local jobs and economic opportunities to continue driving our State’s growth,” Mr Carey said.
“We want to make our city more liveable, attractive and vibrant for locals and visitors alike.”
The jewel of the Perth City Link project is a new ECU campus in the heart of the city.
A $1.5 billion Perth City Deal between the State and Federal Governments has seen the creation of the ECU City project, which, when complete, will see a 65,000sqm campus featuring several “super levels” built above the Wellington Street busport and stretching from Yagan Square at the William Street end of the CBD to Queen Street.
The development of the four remaining lots at the Perth City Link would complement the new ECU campus, which will replace the current university at Mt Lawley and is expected to be completed at the end of next year, opening to students in semester one in 2026.
Expected to eventually house some 10,000 students and 1500 staff, ECU City will potentially change the whole dynamic of the Perth CBD.
ECU City will offer business, law, technology and cyber security studies as well as house a Centre for Indigenous Australian Education and Research.
The world-renowned Western Australian Academy of Performing Arts will also be located at ECU City.
There will be several performance venues for music, theatre and dance cleverly stacked and facing Roe Street in the heart of the cultural precinct.
The School of Arts and Humanities will include broadcast and digital journalism, visual arts, design and communications, as well as the WA Screen Academy with its programmes in cinematography, film directing, documentary making, production and screenwriting.
“Ten thousand students and staff a day will provide a major boost to small business, bringing more life and vibrancy to the area — and this is exactly what our city needs,” Mr Carey said.
The eight-week expressions of interest for developing the four lots run from Wednesday until Thursday, August 22.