UWA – QEII Precinct

The Crawley-Nedlands neighbourhood is located south west of Perth city, bound by Kings Park to the north east, the Swan River to the east and south east and Broadway and Hampden Road to the west. The University of Western Australia (UWA) and the Queen Elizabeth II Medical Centre (QEIIMC) occupy a significant portion of the area within the Crawley-Nedlands neighbourhood.

UWA and QEIIMC and surrounds form a Specialised Centre. Specialised centres focus on regionally significant economic and institutional activities, such as knowledge-based health and tertiary education precincts. These areas are to be developed as places with a concentration of linked businesses and institutions providing a major contribution to the economy, with excellent transport links and potential to accommodate significant future growth in jobs and in some instances housing.

In accordance with State Planning Policy 4.2 – Activity Centres, planning for these centres is required to protect the specialisation of the area while improving the growth and clustering of business activity of State and regional significance, particularly with respect to knowledge-based industries.

Since March 2021, the City of Perth and the City of Nedlands have worked collaboratively with the Department of Planning, Lands and Heritage on the preparation of the UWA QEIIMC Precinct Structure Plan and has finalised a series of informing background technical studies. In November 2023, Hatch Pty Ltd were appointed to undertake the preparation of the Precinct Structure Plan.

STATE GOVERNMENT IMPROVEMENT PLAN 63 – UWA QEII (SPECIALISED) ACTIVITY CENTRE

On 15 May 2024, the Minister for Planning announced that the State Government would consider the establishment of an Improvement Plan for the UWA QEII Precinct, pending the decision of the Western Australian Planning Commission (WAPC).

The City provided a response to the Department of Planning, Lands and Heritage’s request for comment on the draft Improvement Plan on 22 May 2024.

The draft Improvement Plan was presented to the WAPC at its Committee Meeting held on Wednesday, 29 May 2024. The report on the matter was confidential. The WAPC recommendation was considered by the Minister for Planning, who in turn provided a recommendation for the Governor’s consideration.

On 28 June 2024, the State Government announced that Improvement Plan 63 – UWA QEII (Specialised) Activity Centre is in effect.

The purpose of the Improvement Plan is to centralise planning investigations by having the State Government take the lead for planning for the precinct through the Improvement Plan and an Improvement Scheme. Further information is available on the Department Planning, Lands and Heritage website.

What happens next?

The State Government will commence preparation of an Improvement Scheme for the Specialised Activity Centre, this will replace the requirement for a precinct structure plan.

The City anticipates that it will continue to be actively involved in the development of the planning framework for the Precinct, in partnership with the State Government.

It is also the City’s expectation that the State will undertake extensive and genuine community engagement in the preparation of the Improvement Scheme for the area.