APIL Group Plans for Perth Precinct Win State Approval
The WA Statutory Planning Committee has turned down council-led precinct plans in favour of a property investor’s scheme to increase density in a highly sought-after western Perth suburb.
The Town of Cambridge council and land owners APIL Group prepared Precinct Structure Plans to add up to 1250 homes at Floreat, which neighbours City Beach.
The council and a community group wanted to keep the “area’s unique character”, however, APIL Group’s plans to add density without demolishing the Floreat Forum shopping centre won out.
The plans cover almost 10ha around the 1960s-era shopping centre and include a podium up to five storeys along with towers above the existing centre footprint.
It proposed towers of 18 to 20 storeys compared with the council plan for a 6 to 8 storey core that covered 12.5 hectares.
Town of Cambridge mayor Gary Mack said the WAPC decision was a serious breach of trust between the state, the town and its community.
“I know I speak for our council and our community when I express my bitter and deep disappointment with the statutory planning committee’s decision,” Mack said.
“We are not opposed to growth but growth must be guided by good planning, not developer-led expediency and commercial returns.
“The department’s reasoning appears to be driven more by commercial interests than good planning. That’s not acceptable.
“The community deserves to have its voice respected—not overridden.”
WAPC committee members said both drafts were thoroughly and independently assessed but ultimately the APIL-led plans were more likely to actually eventuate.
“The APIL-led PSP accommodates density increases through greater height in a balanced way, aligning with the dwelling yield targets in the town’s strategy,” the recommendation said.
“The town-led PSP proposes a similar dwelling yield but lacks consideration of the existing shopping centre and relies on a complete redevelopment and demolition of the existing shopping centre.
“APIL indicated redevelopment would not occur under the town’s PSP, making implementation a critical consideration.”
WAPC said any concerns over the development’s impact on the nearby school could be addressed at an individual application stage in the future.
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