FAQs

The City has identified a need for a multi-sport and recreation facility combined with community uses for the existing and future city population.

The existing premises of the Perth and Tattersalls Bowling and Recreation Club are approaching the end of their building life, requiring replacement or significant refurbishment. This is an opportune time to plan and deliver a new facility that meets the identified need, creates community spaces and enhances the appeal of living and enjoying the East Perth area and the city at large.

The project's ultimate outcome will be a Masterplan, encompassing current club activities and the potential for a future mixed-use development on both the existing site and adjacent land. The final plan will include a conceptual design (image) accompanied by a report describing the intended land uses and facilities and a staging plan, laying the groundwork for realising the vision.

The City is dedicated to revitalising and energising its facilities and has identified Plain Street as potential hub for community, sport and recreation as well as housing and commerce.

Our primary objective is to ensure that the Masterplan reflects the community’s aspirations, stakeholder needs, and the ongoing demands of a growing population.

Our engagement is focused on understanding these community aspirations and stakeholder needs.

The City has also been working closely with the site’s current tenant, the Perth Bowling and Recreation Club Inc to understand the interests of both current and potential club users.

There are several opportunities or challenges for the site being considered as part of this project, including: 

•    Keeping and enhancing cross-site linkages making it open and accessible for all.
•    Making sure that the city’s urban tree canopy is retained and enhanced, with an aim to increase tree canopy, open space and recreation activities.
•    Taking advantage of the waterfront proximity and views.
•    Recognising that the site is at the gateway to the city and has the potential to create an iconic entry.
•    Complementing other nearby projects including the Derbal Yerrigan/Swan Riverside Masterplan redevelopment, the Causeway Pedestrian and Cyclist Bridge and the Western Australian Aboriginal Cultural Centre.
•    The best use of the land and its surrounding areas in keeping with the nearby parkland and resident and business users.
•    Maintaining onsite uses, but ensuring they are more functional, practical and user friendly; making them more efficient.
•    Making sure that essential infrastructure including drainage and water pipes are maintained and protected.
•    Designing for a future that is more sustainable and resilient.

The current land use reservation under the local planning scheme identifies the areas for parks and recreation, which would typically include sporting, recreation and community functions. The draft Masterplan anticipates that the site will be used for a mix of uses in the future with two key components:

1. Sport, Recreation and Community site

2. Development Site

The sport, recreation and community site will encompass a mix of open-air facilities and built facilities that will service the local and broader community. It is anticipated that the existing bowling club will be accommodated within this portion of the site.

The development site will be where the existing bowling club is located. It is proposed to accommodate a mix of residential and commercial uses.

A change to the City’s Local Planning Scheme is required to implement the changes proposed for the development site as shown in this Master Plan. A scheme amendment is a separate process from this Master Plan. The City will be commencing this process in 2025.

A community survey was undertaken between the 28 August and 30 September 2024. 270 responses were received. The majority of respondents (60 per cent) were residents.

Consultation was also undertaken with the current Perth Bowling and Recreation Club Inc and existing users or potential users of a community facility in this location (Perth Folk & Roots, Probus, Perth Ladies Darts Association, Vision Impaired and Blind Bowlers WA (VIBBWA), Rotary Club of Heirisson, and various Dance Groups).

With a focus on outdoor greens and courts, input was also obtained from a number of State Sporting Associations (Bowls WA, Netball WA, Basketball WA, Volleyball WA and Tennis West) and emerging court sports of Padel and Pickleball (potential commercial investors).

A consistent theme from respondents was the lack of sport and recreation infrastructure and opportunities currently available within the City of Perth. In particular the need to:

• Replace the Bowling Green and associated clubhouse infrastructure (synthetic green option to be considered).
• Provide outdoor court spaces for multi-functional use (particularly for use of basketball and volleyball).
• Consider commercial investment opportunities for the sports of Padel and Pickleball.
• Provide low-cost access to a community building which can be adapted to a flexible range of uses for the local community (offering service opportunities for seniors, families, youth, music events, dance, fitness and community meeting spaces).
• Ensure that any facilities are accessible, safe and welcoming, activated and attract people to the area, improving the quality of life and encouraging family use.
• Provide infrastructure which incorporates high quality environmentally sustainable design practices.
• Preserve/enhance the natural environment and green spaces.

The Sports and Recreation Needs Analysis determined that based on existing and future demographics, some of the facilities needed in the Perth CBD include.

• Sporting oval, diamond and rectangular space and associated pavilion
• Outdoor multi-functional court space. In particular, the lack of opportunities to play volleyball, futsal, badminton, netball and basketball.
• A district level community building providing affordable community services of a contemporary design for a variety of low-cost community programs.
• Youth spaces and activity areas which provide a variety of youth centred activities.
• District level play space.
• Access to a bowling club
• Low-cost spaces for community meeting, gathering and socialising.

The types of activities and facilities proposed for this site have been determined following the Sports and Recreation Needs Analysis. Based on consultation, demographic analysis and needs analysis, The main achievable development opportunities included:

• The development of a stand-alone clubhouse/community centre with a high entry profile and accessibility off Plain Street (to incorporate site administration, function room for events/hire, meeting rooms, café/kiosk, members areas, viewing deck/covered terrace and seating areas)
• Development of synthetic green to maintain the bowling use.
• Incorporation of a variety of outdoor multi-functional court spaces to include:
• Padel option (including kiosk and retail opportunities) with direct access to pavilion/community building changing facilities.
• Multi-functional full size outdoor basketball, netball, volleyball courts with floodlighting
• Additional half courts/ 3 on 3 basketball style multi-activity courts with hit up wall.
• Provision of a youth/wheeled sports area to connect to the existing footpath and future BBQ/family area.
• Outdoor community event space, integrated within the above.
• Limited car parking provision for the servicing of the pavilion/community building and to avoid potential pedestrian and vehicular conflict.

As part of the Masterplan process, the heights and number of dwellings has been tested based on the best and highest use for the site, the availability of parking, the surrounding built form scale and community engagement.

The development site is proposed to include two residential buildings. The western building is likely to include commercial uses along the Plain Street frontage and there is the option for commercial uses within the eastern building.

The population in East Perth is population is expected to grow 16.37 per cent between 2023 and 2031, higher than the WA forecast. This site will have the ability to deliver much needed, quality housing, within a high amenity, accessible area.

Building heights in keeping with surrounding tall buildings and planning regulations of high-scale residential use of 16 storeys or above are possible due to the site’s iconic location at the eastern entry of the CBD. Developments of this scale could accommodate approximately 400 dwellings. The scale of the development and number of dwellings are indicative only and are subject to further investigation and a separate development application.

The development will not result in an increase in rates. The proposed development site will assist in funding the development of the sports and recreation facilities. The City will also investigate options for grant funding.

No, the existing dog exercise area is outside this project. There are no changes proposed to the dog exercise area.

These are two separate projects and are being prepared independently from one another.

The preparation of Masterplans takes time. There are many steps and different stakeholders who need to contribute to the plan, as well as approval at the local and state government level. 

It is expected that the Masterplan will be completed in early-mid 2025. The Master Plan will be used to inform an amendment to the City’s Planning Scheme. A scheme amendment takes approximately 18 months to complete.

The Plain Street redevelopment will be an important community space; and community input is essential to ensuring the design meets the needs and aspirations of the people using it (or who would like to use it).

Four opportunities for the community to input into the Masterplan were provided.

1. Initial engagement to understand the community’s vision and aspirations for a future community sports and recreation hub on the site. Feedback was gathered through stakeholder meetings, written submissions and 239 online interactive map comments. (January/February 2024).

2. Design Principle engagement to seek feedback on the draft design principles and site scenarios that will inform the design of the site. Feedback was gathered through a community drop-in session attended by approximately 100 community members, stakeholder meetings, written submissions and an online survey with 70 responses. (March 2024)

3. Needs Analysis and Feasibility Study to understand what type of community and sporting uses would be appropriate. Feedback was gathered through a survey, with 270 responses. (August/September 2024).

4. Masterplan Engagement to seek feedback on the draft Masterplan. Feedback is being gathered via a survey. (February/March 2025).

You can subscribe to the project to keep up to date with the project and any opportunities to get involved.