CockburnCoast - Western Australian Planning Commission

CockburnCoast
The preliminary investigations have identified the key issues and
considerations which will need to be addressed in the
comprehensive planning for the site. Ideally a significant portion of
the building would be occupied by a civic, cultural or community
use which would utilise the unique space of the building, however
there are no current apparent users of such a scale. The
regeneration of the building will also require a significant investment,
therefore the ability to generate a suitable return is also a
consideration. The scale of the building is both a significant
opportunity and a constraint in deriving an appropriate use or uses.
The building’s location on the coast means that the default position
for use is residential apartments, however this use would result in
limiting public access to the area and potential conflict with the
entertainment and hotel activities. It is considered that at a minimum
the ground level and administration wing of the building should be
established as uses which enable and encourage public access.
On this basis it is recommended that planning and feasibility
assessments are undertaken for the site, with the following key
principles applied to the planning and development of the power
station building:
• Provision of ground floor activity and retention of public
access to this level, including the western forecourt of the
power station;
• A balance between commercially driven and community
uses;
• Maintenance of heritage values;
• Facilitate and promote access to the coast;
• Retain the landmark status of the building;
• Recognise the building’s former use, through inclusion of
visible green power generation (wind and solar); and
• Provide a suitable interface and relationship to enable
creation of a quality pedestrian environment linking
between the transit station and the coast.
2.5.1.4 Switchyard infrastructure
The electrical switchyard adjacent to the power station site and
associated distribution lines are a significant challenge. Options
have been investigated as to the viability of relocation or
rationalisation of the switchyard site, with substantial costs involved.
The plan provides for residential and mixed use development on this
site upon relocation of the switchyard. However, in the event that it
is not feasible for this to occur, the plan does not preclude the
switchyard remaining in situ, with the potential for development
“sleeving” around the outer extent of the infrastructure.
The physical barrier presented by the freight rail between the power
station and the local activity node to the east has been addressed
in the plan through the potential for a land bridge approach. As with
the switchyard, cost and technical feasibility will require further
investigation.
2.5.2 Darkan/Emplacement special
development area
The Darkan and Emplacement special development area has been
identified as providing significant opportunities for employment
generation. The existing land use circumstances of the area,
however, warrant careful consideration of the management of the
transition from industrial uses to an urban environment with an
employment focus.
Redevelopment of this area will therefore need to be planned to
intensify employment uses on site (most likely in the form of
office/commercial development), but carefully manage this
transition so as not to affect the use rights of existing industrial
operations in the area.
Transitioning arrangements for these existing industrial uses are
outlined further in section 3.5.
2.6 Movement network
2.6.1 Movement network objectives
and philosophy
Key to enabling the intensive, mixed use redevelopment of the
Cockburn coast is the establishment of a safe, legible and effective
movement network for all users. The core components of the
transport planning philosophy for the Cockburn coast structure plan
have included:
• The need to balance the function and impacts of regional
and local transport;
• Development of an internal road network with connections
to the wider regional network which disperses traffic;
• Production of a highly connected and amenable
pedestrian and cyclist network providing access to local
destinations and connections to the regional network;
• Promotion of an efficient public transport system providing
connections to Fremantle and the wider regional network
with the potential for expansion to the south and east in
the future; and
• Development of a transit oriented community.
These philosophies and the proposed movement network and
transport system for the Cockburn coast are described in detail in
the Transport Analysis Report (see Appendix). The following
sections provide a summary of these proposals.
2.6.2 Integrated transport strategy
The location of the Cockburn coast development raises a number of
issues regarding regional transport. These include the current
location of the Fremantle to Rockingham Controlled Access
Highway (CAH) road reservation, the need to consider some level of
east-west linkage, potential future development of a dedicated
Rockingham to Fremantle transitway and other transport initiatives.
The district structure plan, based upon detailed transport
investigations, has made key recommendations regarding transport
links within the Cockburn coast area, such as Cockburn Road,
Fremantle to Rockingham CAH and public transport services and
alignment. While these recommendations have been made with
consideration for the broader implications on the regional movement
network, further work outside of the scope of the district structure
plan is required to address the regional movement network issues
and opportunities.
At the regional and metropolitan level, the WAPC has resolved to
progress an integrated transport strategy for the south west corridor
as a matter of priority. It is anticipated that the strategy will
investigate and provide recommendations on regional road and
public transport network improvements, and opportunities to
influence more sustainable travel behaviour.
district structure plan
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