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Developer Erben has filed plans for a student living tower on a site created when a bus station and rail line were buried as part of the Perth City Link.
The 21-storey plans for lot 19 are the latest to be filed with DevelopmentWA for the 13.5ha precinct, home to the landmark Edith Cowan University (ECU) inner-city campus and the link between the CBD and Northbridge.
A part of the Perth City Deal, the precinct was created when the existing rail line and Wellington Street Bus Station went underground.
That also created development sites, including lots 12 and 18, secured by Oceania Capital Group, as well as the Erben site on Roe Street.
Developers in the precinct also include Far East Consortium, who holds multiple sites, and Flagship Property.
The Erben plans by MJA architects include 1146 student beds, retail and dining on the ground floor, and 14 parking bays.
A central void overlooking a communal terrace on level one, near the amenities including a lounge, yoga studio, e-sports area, gym and study area, are also part of the plans.
Terraces are also planned for levels five, eight and the rooftop, designed by Plan E landscape architects.
It is expected students from the new university campus in the precinct will fill the tower.
That $853-million ECU city campus topped-out in December. Creative industries, business and technology students are expected to begin studies at the campus from the first semester of next year.
The development market for purpose-built student accommodation is strong in Perth and holds a pipeline of 5354 beds, according to the Urbis Student Accommodation Benchmarks report.
The past 12 months have been particularly favourable for the sector in the WA capital, driven by undersupply and an increase in the number of international students.
Earlier this month, a $400-million student development for the site of the abandoned Carillon City mall was approved by Metro Inner Development Assessment Panel.
Fiveight, a vehicle of mining boss Andrew ‘Twiggy’ Forrest and its investment firm parent company Tattarang co-owner Nicola Forrest, are behind those plans.
Approvals for the sector this year have also included the University of Western Australia’s 884-bed Nedlands project and A&R Development Holdings’ Crawley project of 181 rooms.
