CockburnCoast - Western Australian Planning Commission

CockburnCoast
• All areas have a proportional decrease in people aged 40-
59, which may reflect the lack of housing diversity in all
suburbs. There is potential in the structure plan area to
provide a wide range of accommodation for 'down sizers',
'empty nesters' and single person households.
• All areas have similar proportional growth in people aged
60 plus, however Cottesloe and Mosman Park have a
higher proportion of people between the ages of 70-79
years. If this trend follows in the Cockburn coast area, an
accommodation mix which includes adaptable housing
and universal access design principles in the public realm
will be important.
• Overall and in comparison with the City of Cockburn and
the area of influence, the structure plan area is likely to
have a greater proportion of lone person households and
a lower proportion of families with children, more in line
with the coastal areas of Cottesloe and Mosman Park.
5.7 Comparison areas -
proportional change in
age structure
The likely mix of household types in the district structure plan has
been analysed by reference to the correlation between household
type and housing mix in a range of comparable locations in
Australia. The analysis, as shown in Table 5.3, indicates some
variance from the overall forecast housing mix in the City of
Cockburn and the City of Fremantle, but still with a good
demographic mix.
5.8 Key economic and
employment implications
While many jobs in light and heavy industry, government and
community services and the retail sector can be found locally or
within a short intra-regional journey, those engaged in professional
occupations must, for the most part, travel into Perth. If the future
demographic and household dynamic identified previously comes
to fruition, there will be demand for a level of professional suites and
offices within the area of influence catchment.
Employment sustainability and self sufficiency is important,
particularly in terms of reducing private transport demand and in
encouraging the Cockburn coast as an employment destination for
the local community. The City of Cockburn has an employment self
sufficiency of 68 per cent (2001), the combined cities of Cockburn
and Fremantle have 106 per cent employment self sufficiency and
the wider area of influence has an employment self sufficiency of 82
per cent. These levels are high and indicate a sound basis for
further successful economic development. (Liveable
Neighbourhoods recommends employment self sufficiency levels of
30-60 per cent). Generally, these levels can be hard to achieve
because the development industry can only be expected to provide
land for a certain amount of community and employment uses.
Economic development programs may be provided by some, but
this is not always the case. Even at full occupation primary schools,
corner shops and working from home will only provide around 25
per cent of required jobs. Additional information technology and
communications infrastructure may support a higher level of home
working.
Regional levels of employment self sufficiency below 40 per cent
can lead to high levels of commuting, low diversity of local
employment, high youth unemployment and a poor sense of
community well-being. Therefore, it is important that additional
population growth in any region is developed with a corresponding
understanding of the region's economic strengths and weaknesses
and an appropriate level of employment provision. Unfortunately, the
South Beach and Port Coogee developments have not facilitated an
appropriate level of employment land. The balance must be
generated from the structure plan area and linkages improved to the
area of influence and other employment nodes.
Research and analysis and discussions with the City of Cockburn
have identified a number of economic characteristics within the area
of influence:
• There is sufficient local industrial land and a substantial
regional employment base in industrial estates. This will
increase, with significant medium-term capacity in Latitude
32 (Hope Valley), O'Connor and Myaree. However it will
be important to maintain local enterprises within the
structure plan area (particularly those that refer to the local
economy). Within the Emplacement and Darkan precincts
area, there are a number of businesses that directly relate
to the Fremantle economy, especially in seafood handling
and marine services. On the other hand, there is a range
of other industries, which provide vital services to the
heavy industries in Kwinana and Henderson. In addition, a
number of services located in Emplacement Crescent
lease flexible and affordable industrial units for community
purposes. Some industries to the southern end of
Cockburn Road are housed in buildings that date back to
the operation of the Robb Jetty abattoir and have little to
do, directly, with the local economy. These might be
considered for relocation in the shorter term.
• The City of Cockburn has a high proportion of
manufacturing workers and jobs, and a low proportion of
white-collar and tourism-related jobs. There is no
economic base for high-end jobs at present. The structure
plan can provide land for business and mixed use
development and will facilitate growth in the tourism
industry with increased access to the beach and the
revitalisation of the power station as a hotel and
community activity hub. The level of business and tourism
activity envisaged is still relatively low and will
complement the high levels of Fremantle.
• The City of Cockburn's current (2006) median weekly
household income is $1102, compared with the area of
influence average median weekly household income of
$1123. This is likely to increase as the new homes are
occupied by a demographic mix similar to the coastal
suburbs of Mosman Park and Cottesloe.
Higher levels of household expenditure can be anticipated in line
with the changing household types and an increase in professional
workforce. While this will have implications for retail development it
is clear that the area of influence has more than adequate provision
even for the anticipated population growth. Most strategic regional
shopping will occur in Fremantle, and regional needs are also
catered for at Cockburn Central and Phoenix Centre in Spearwood.
Local and daily needs will need to be provided within the structure
plan. It is also envisaged that there will be a relatively high level of
festival or specialty shopping within the revitalised power station.
The hierarchy of commercial centres surrounding Cockburn coast
have the capacity to provide the regional and district shopping
areas for the development. Two local/neighbourhood centres will be
located within Cockburn coast and will cater for the local shopping
demand of residents.
Figure 5.2 depicts the position of Cockburn coast within the area of
influence in relation to key employment nodes and activity centres.
70 district structure plan