Perth waterfront development proposals: Difference between revisions

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{{Short description|Proposals for north shore of Perth Water, Perth, Western Australia}}

{{Use dmy dates|date=March 2012}}

{{Use Australian English|date=March 2012}}

{{Use dmy dates|date=MarchJanuary 20122021}}

[[File:Elizabeth Quay April 2013.jpg|thumb|right|300px|2013 development underway]]

The north shore of [[Perth Water]] on the [[Swan River (Western Australia)|Swan River]] frontage to the city of [[Perth, Western Australia|Perth]] in [[Western Australia]] has been frequently changed since the arrival of Europeans in 1829. Various forms and structures have appeared and been removed over the last 190 years. Jetties, ports and various forms of reclamation have moved the shore considerably into [[Perth Water]].

The main eras of reclamation were in the 1870s, 1900s, 1920s-1937, 1955–1959, and 1967.<ref>{{Citationcite Q |Q135222492 author1|last1=Seddon, |first1=George | author2author1-link=Ravine,George David,Seddon 1955–(academic) |last2=Ravine title|first2=A city and its setting : images of Perth, Western AustraliaDavid | publication-date=1986 | publisher=Fremantle Arts Centre Press | isbn=978-0-949206-08-4 | url-access=registration | urlaccess-date=https://archive.org/details/cityitssetting00sedd2025-07-06 }}</ref><ref>{{Cite web |url=http://www.historycouncilwa.org.au/events/forums-and-debates/more-than-grass-exploring-the-esplanade |title=Lise Summers, ''Reclamation for recreation'' |access-date=8 April 2012 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20150102044325/http://www.historycouncilwa.org.au/events/forums-and-debates/more-than-grass-exploring-the-esplanade |archive-date=2 January 2015 |url-status=dead }}</ref>

Since the 1980s various proposals have been mooted by government and others to redevelop the foreshore area. These proposals are sometimes referred to as the '''Perth waterfront developments''' and have generally focused on areas around [[Barrack Square]] and the [[The Esplanade (Perth)|Esplanade Reserve]].

The proposals are often characterised by opposition arguing that structures and facilities in the developments would create increased separation of the [[Perth central business district|central business district]] from the river, further reducing access to the amenity.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.watoday.com.au/opinion/politics/who-cares-if-it-has-an-umbilical-cord-just-get-it-done-20110215-1aurp.html|title=Who cares if it has an umbilical cord, just get it done (Opinion)|work=WAToday|date=16 February 2011}}</ref> Conversely, others argue that the city/river vista to motorists along [[Riverside Drive, Perth|Riverside Drive]] would be spoiled. Some proposals have included traffic tunnels or land bridges to enable the city to "re-attach" to the river.

==Riverside Drive history==

The laying of [[Riverside Drive, Perth|Riverside Drive]] as a subsistence project in 1937 provided an opportunity for the [[City of Perth]] to negotiate for control of the entire foreshore, which had previously been managed by the State Gardens Board.<ref>{{cite book|last=Stannage|first=Tom|title=The people of Perth|year=1979}}</ref> Designed as a boulevard, the Drive encouraged tourists and Perth residents alike to travel along the river, in a 20th-century version of the 18th and 19th century tradition of promenading.<ref>{{citation|last=Faro|first=C.|title=To the lighthouse!The South Head Road and place-making in early New South Wales|journal=Journal of the Royal Australian Historical Society|volume=December|year=1998}}</ref> Riverside Drive was widened when works on the [[Mitchell Freeway]] interchange commenced in the late 1950s.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://register.heritage.wa.gov.au/PDF_Files/E%20-%20A-D/Esplanade%20Reserve%20%28I-AD%29.PDF|title=Esplanade Reserve - Assessment Documentation|work=Heritage Council of Western Australia|page=8|accessdate=16 June 2012}}</ref> In the early 1960s, a proposal to build a major freeway along the foreshore was being prepared by consultants for the [[Main Roads Western Australia|Main Roads Department]]. [[Perth City Council]], town planner [[Paul Ritter (architect)|Paul Ritter]] and others argued that traffic volumes didn't warrant the plan, and that the new north-southnorth–south freeway system was adequate. Visiting architect [[Theodore Osmundson]] suggested in 1968 that the city ring freeway project being considered would "encircle[s] the city like an iron collar [which] can only eventually choke the central city to death".<ref>{{cite journal|last=Alexander|first=Ian|author2=Phil McManus|title=A New Direction for Perth Transport?|journal=Urban Policy and Research|year=1992|volume=10|issue=4|pages=6–13|doi=10.1080/08111149208551528}}</ref> Riverside Drive was further modified in the 1970s to provide access to the Mitchell Freeway and again in the late 2000s as part of the [[New_MetroRailNew MetroRail#City_worksCity works|sinking of the railway]] to [[William Street, Perth|William Street]].

==CityVision, 1988==

{{external media|alignfloat=right|width=200px

|image1=[http://www.cityvision.org.au/wp-content/uploads/2011/03/Foreshore-2.jpg CityVision 1988]

|image2=[http://citygatekeepers.com.au/wp-content/uploads/2012/02/Picture11.jpg City of Perth 2005–2030]

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|image5=[http://citygatekeepers.com.au/wp-content/uploads/2012/02/Perth-Foreshore-Perspective.jpg City Gatekeepers (2012)]

}}

CityVision is an [[urban planning]] [[think tank]] and advocacy group.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.cityvision.org.au/|title=CityVision home page|work=Cityvision|accessdate=7 March 2012}}</ref> In 1988 it published its first foreshore redevelopment scheme, which included a focus on development along [[Langley Park (Western Australia)|Langley Park]] to the east, as well as a number of pedestrian overpasses crossing Riverside Drive.

The CityVision group has submitted a number of other designs for public discussion since then.

==Lawrence Government, 1990==

In December 1990, Premier [[Carmen Lawrence]] announced plans for an international design competition for a foreshore redevelopment.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://espace.library.curtin.edu.au/R/?func=dbin-jump-full&object_id=113378&local_base=ERA01LAWRENCE|title=Speech by Carmen Lawrence, Perth Foreshore competition launch|date=9 December 1990|work=Curtin.ede.au|accessdate=9 March 2012}}</ref><ref>{{cite web|url=http://au.news.yahoo.com/thewest/a/-/wa/6582420/another-premier-another-foreshore-plan/|title=Another Premier, another foreshore plan|author=Taylor, Robert|work=The West Australian |date=14 December 2009|accessdate=9 March 2012}}</ref> The competition had a first prize of $50,000, which was awarded to U.S. design firm Carr, Lynch, Hack and Sandell.

The winning design included a [[Aerial lift|cable car]] from Barrack Street to [[Mount Eliza (Western Australia)|Mount Eliza]] and [[Kings Park, Western Australia|Kings Park]].

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==Carpenter Government plans, 2008==

In February 2008, Premier [[Alan Carpenter]] announced plans for a $300 million redevelopment including multiple high-rise buildings with joint private and public funding.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.abc.net.au/news/2008-02-13/carpenter-announces-new-waterfront-plan/1042022|title=Carpenter announces new waterfront plan|work=ABC News|date=14 February 2008}}</ref>

The proposal included realignment of Riverside Drive.

He stated that work would start before 2012 if his government was re-elected. The opposition leader [[Colin Barnett]] objected to the plans, saying "people did not want skyscrapers on the city foreshore and the plan would create an exclusive enclave for corporations and rich apartment owners".<ref>{{Citation | author1=Weller, Richard | author-link=Richard Weller | title=Boomtown 2050 | year=2009 | publication-date=2009 | publisher=UWA Publishing | isbn=978-1-921401-21-3 }} - quotes David Hatch, ''[[The West Australian]]'', 3 September 2008 : "The Perth Waterfront Project and the State Government's Network City planning policy would be scrapped under a Liberal government, Colin Barnett said yesterday. The Liberal leader said people did not want skyscrapers on the city foreshore and the plan would create an exclusive enclave for corporations and rich apartment owners."</ref>

The Carpenter government was defeated at the [[2008 Western Australian state election|2008 election]].

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==Barnett Government plans, 2011==

{{main|Elizabeth Quay}}

In February 2011 Premier Colin Barnett and Perth Lord Mayor [[Lisa Scaffidi]] confirmed plans for a new project and funding, which included $270 million from the 2011/12 state budget.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.watoday.com.au/wa-news/latest-perth-waterfront-redevelopment-gets-a-cash-boost-20110215-1auhi.html|title=Latest Perth waterfront redevelopment gets a cash boost|work=WAToday|date=15 February 2011}}</ref><ref>[http://au.news.yahoo.com/thewest/a/-/breaking/8839568/city-waterfront-plans-revealed/ "City waterfront plans revealed"]</ref> The project included construction of an artificial inlet to replace [[Esplanade Reserve]], and modifications to the surrounding environs including [[Barrack Square]]. Nine large building sites will be constructed for residential apartments, commercial offices and retail space.{{update- inline|date=December 2020}}

==References==

{{Reflist |230em}}

==Further reading==

{{Refbegin |30em}}

*{{cite book|last1=Bolleter|first1=Julian|title=Take me to the River: The story of Perth's foreshore|dateyear=2015|publisher=UWA Publishing|___location=Crawley, WA|isbn=9781742586489}}

{{Refend}}

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