MRS Major Amendment 1404/41 – Roe 8 Remainder and Roe 9 (Removal of Primary Regional Roads reservation)

Why is the Metropolitan Region Scheme (MRS) being amended?

The existing Primary Regional Roads (PRR) reservation in the MRS, known as Roe 8 and Roe 9, was originally proposed for the Roe Highway extension west of the Kwinana Freeway.  Following a State Government decision in 2017 to cancel the proposed extension, the land is now being considered for other uses, such as conservation, residential, commercial, local open space and community purposes.

The protection of the portion of the Beeliar Wetlands impacted by the original Roe 8 PRR reservation was secured when the State Government passed the Metropolitan Region Scheme (Beeliar Wetlands) Bill in 2021 reserving the wetlands as ‘Parks and Recreation’ and assigning an A-Class conservation reserve that gives the wetlands the highest level of environmental protection.

The proposed MRS major amendment considers alternative zoning and reservations for most of the remaining Roe 8 and Roe 9 corridor (excluding the Stock Road intersection, please refer to the question below for more detail).

What is the process for a major amendment to the MRS?

The amendment process is regulated by the Planning and Development Act 2005. 
Proposed major amendments are considered by the Western Australian Planning Commission (WAPC), Environmental Protection Authority and the Minister for Planning before they are advertised for a three-month public comment period. The WAPC will then consider submissions, hearings and planning advice from the Department of Planning, Lands and Heritage (DPLH) before making a recommendation to the Minister whether to accept, reject or modify the proposed amendment. 

The proposed amendment and WAPC recommendation are then presented to the Governor for approval, after which it will be made available to the public and tabled in both Houses of Parliament for 12 sitting days.  

What zones and reserves are being proposed?

The MRS defines the future use of land and provides the basis for planning in the Perth metropolitan region, dividing it into broad zones and reservations.
Potential zones and reserves for the corridor include:

• Urban: areas where a range of activities are undertaken, including residential, commercial, recreation, education, community purpose, local open space and light industry. 
• Parks and Recreation: land of regional significance for ecological, recreation or landscape purposes.
• PRR: roads of regional significance in the planned road network that are currently, or proposed, to be declared under the Main Roads Act 1930.

What are the potential land uses and development and what is the purpose of the indicative concept plan?

An indicative concept plan has been included in the proposed MRS Amendment Report to demonstrate potential land use outcomes that could arise from the proposed zones and reserves and to guide future planning for the area. It considers sites of environmental and/or heritage value, as well as those with potential to support community/public purposes and commercial and residential redevelopment. The indicative concept plan provides opportunities for revitalisation and improved connections to the local movement network, including well-designed streetscapes and active transport (walking and cycling) infrastructure. The surrounding land use context has also been used to inform the indicative concept plan. 

There are currently no approved plans or funding for such development. The concept plan is strategic with no formal status or endorsement. It may further evolve in response to feedback. A fine-grained land use plan is not required at this stage. Further detailed and refined planning typically occurs after amendments to the local planning scheme and will include further opportunities for public comment. 

Why is some land in the Roe 8 and Roe 9 corridor proposed to remain reserved for PRR purposes?

Portions along the corridor (such as the Stock Road intersection) are proposed to remain reserved as PRR at this time to allow for a review of the detailed road designs and road requirements at key intersections by Main Roads Western Australia (MRWA). These areas are subject to a separate and future MRS amendment, depending on advice from MRWA.

Will the removal of the PRR reservation impact local roads?

While the indicative concept plan may provide a suggested and future proposed local road network, most existing, as-constructed local roads will remain unchanged as a part of this process. As such, these roads have been shown as blank on the indicative concept plan. Proposed local roads or intersection modifications on the indicative concept plan will require further investigation, planning and consultation under the local planning framework. 
In the absence of an arterial road in the Roe 8 and Roe 9 reservation, the capacity of the existing road network is expected to cater for future volumes arising from localised traffic.

What active transport opportunities are in the current planning? 

There is strong community and stakeholder desire for active transport along the Roe 8 and Roe 9 corridor. A potential bicycle and pedestrian path has been annotated on the indicative concept plan. Further work is needed to refine the alignment, determine the appropriate design criteria and plan for streetscaping in collaboration with the City of Cockburn and Department of Transport. Feasible alignment options will likely weave in and out of the corridor having regard for the need to balance active transport aspirations with other proposed land uses, ownership considerations, and heritage and environmental constraints within the corridor.

What environmental investigations have been undertaken to support the proposed amendment?

Consultants were engaged to identify key environmental attributes of the area. Their report has informed the preparation of the amendment and the indicative concept plan. A copy of the environmental study report is included at Appendix G of the proposed MRS Amendment Report.

The proposed MRS amendment has also been reviewed by the Environmental Protection Authority, as required by the Planning and Development Act 2005. A copy of its determination is included in Section 9 of the proposed Amendment Report.

Why is the whole corridor not protected as a regional Parks and Recreation reserve?

The Parks and Recreation classification is intended to reserve land of regional significance for ecological, recreation or landscape purposes. The proposed MRS amendment recommends portions of the corridor for this class of reservation. 

While some sites within the corridor are currently used for passive or active recreational uses, or may have some environmental value, some of these areas will be of local significance.  Under the MRS Urban zoning, the local government can undertake further planning and apply various reservations under its local planning scheme. This includes local public open space and environmental conservation reservations.

Parts of the corridor are also being considered for community uses, public purposes and urban development, providing revitalisation opportunities across the suburbs of Hamilton Hill and Coolbellup.

The proposed MRS amendment and indicative concept plan reflect the regional and localised objectives of the MRS and local planning scheme processes, and respond to the findings of the environmental study and stakeholder and community feedback. 

What is the purpose of the Potential Green Linkages plan?

Natural areas with significant environmental value within the corridor have been recognised in the proposed amendment and indicative concept plan through proposed reservations. Beyond the formal network of reservations, there is strong community support for any strategic planning to consider how these areas connect and relate to each other, and how to best support their ability to function in the broader context as an ecological corridor. 
The Potential Green Linkage plan was developed by DPLH to help visualise how green space connectivity can be achieved through all layers of the planning process and the design of the built environment. It includes existing and proposed regional Parks and Recreation reserves, existing and proposed local open space, as well as opportunities for enhanced tree canopy and streetscaping along local roads and paths. 

Beyond the public realm, at the individual property level, the DesignWA suite of planning policies promotes sustainable development and greater housing diversity. New policy measures, required for all new development in Western Australia, support the provision of greater tree canopy and trees on private lots and better access to gardens and open space. 

Does the proposed amendment impact on registered heritage places?

Two sites of State heritage significance are located within the proposed amendment area, including part of Clontarf Hill (registered aboriginal heritage site) and Randwick Stables (State heritage list). 

In recognition of their significance, the proposed MRS amendment contemplates reserving these areas for Parks and Recreation. The Parks and Recreation reservation is intended to respect the heritage status of the sites and will ensure any future development is consistent with the management objectives for the land. Importantly, the protection afforded to these two sites does not change as a result of the MRS amendment. 

The South West Aboriginal Land and Sea Council and representatives of Randwick Stables have been consulted; engagement with both parties will continue as the amendment progresses. 

There are also several places of local heritage significance, as marked on the concept plan.

What does a ‘Development’ zone mean in the indicative concept plan?

Land designated a ‘Development’ zone in the indicative concept plan generally involves complex land use and tenure considerations. 

The designation indicates detailed planning and further investigation will be needed before a more specific land use recommendation can be made through local planning processes. Depending on the location, specific land uses may include private education, recreation, mixed use, commercial or residential development. 

What is the Roe 8 and Roe 9 Corridor Planning Study?

The Department initiated the Roe 8 and Roe 9 Corridor Planning Study in 2022 to guide the proposed MRS amendment. 

The Planning Study comprises several technical studies and a preliminary engagement program seeking stakeholder and community feedback on a draft indicative concept plan.
The outcomes of the Planning Study were used to inform the proposed amendment, with copies of the findings included as appendices to the proposed MRS Amendment Report.
The timeline of the Planning Study and proposed amendment process is summarised in the attached infographic.

What was the aim of the Planning Study?

The objectives of the Planning Study were to:

• understand existing values and opportunities for the study area
• investigate potential for alternative, appropriate land uses, development and revitalisation opportunities for the study area
• inform an MRS amendment to replace portions of the remaining PRR reservation with more suitable classifications under the MRS to provide a framework for the local government to update its local planning scheme. 

What preliminary engagement was undertaken as part of the Planning Study?

The draft indicative concept plan was developed as part of the Planning Study to facilitate community engagement and to receive preliminary feedback on potential land uses to inform future strategic planning for the area. 

Feedback on the draft concept plan was sought from October 2022 to January 2023 to gauge community expectations for land within the corridor, including opportunities and uses that could benefit the local community. The draft concept plan was developed to encourage these discussions and prompt feedback. 

DPLH engaged with various stakeholders, including landowners, community and advocacy groups, local governments and State Government agencies on the draft concept plan and draft MRS amendment maps through: 

• Meetings with joint agency groups, stakeholder groups and one-on-ones between September 2022 and January 2023. 
• Drop-in sessions with members of the community who were invited via newspaper advertisements, the DPLH and City of Cockburn websites, social media, targeted emails and landowner mailouts. Sessions were held at the Memorial Hall in Hamilton Hill, on 26 October, 29 October and 2 November 2022.  
• Information and frequently asked questions published online
• Submissions received on the draft concept plan, which was available for comment on the Department’s website from 26 October 2022 until 20 January 2023.

Feedback on the draft concept plan informed the preparation of the MRS amendment and revised indicative concept plan.

What were the key themes from the Planning Study’s preliminary stakeholder engagement?

409 submissions were received on the draft concept plan during the Planning Study’s preliminary stakeholder engagement. There was general support for the re-purposing of the road corridor and protection of the environment, respecting Aboriginal heritage and incorporating best-practice urban design principles for future development.  Many submissions outlined support for the protection of Blackwood Avenue bushland, ongoing use of Randwick Stables and the redevelopment of the Wally Hagan basketball facility in Hamilton Hill.

Please refer to the Preliminary Engagement Summary Fact Sheet for more information. A full summary of outcomes is included at Appendix J of the proposed MRS Amendment Report.

What are the main changes in the proposed MRS amendment/indicative concept plan?

Feedback from the Planning Study, and outcomes of the environmental study, bushfire assessment and transport information informed the drafting of the MRS amendment. 
In response to the environmental assessment study and strong community feedback, the amount of land proposed to be reserved for Parks and Recreation has increased by approximately 10 hectares. This includes the Blackwood Avenue bushland and Randwick Stables and surrounds. 

A narrow strip of additional Urban zoned land between Rockingham Road and the Primary Regional Roads reserve at the north-western end of the corridor has been recommended for reservation as Parks and Recreation.  An extension to the proposed amendment area beyond the existing Primary Regional Roads reserve was considered necessary to enable these specific land parcels, which include part of the Clontarf Hill aboriginal heritage site and part of Randwick Stables, to be considered uniformly from a land use planning perspective, reducing complication and unnecessary fragmentation.

An additional 2.9 hectares of land to the east of the Beeliar Wetlands have been added to the proposed MRS amendment. This land is a remnant of the eastern most part of Roe 8, left over from the construction of the Roe Highway and Murdoch Drive connection. Most of this land is recommended to be rezoned Urban.

Other local open space has also been identified in the revised indicative concept plan, including the inclusion of bushland adjacent to Kerry Street Community School and expanded parkland adjacent to Wheeler Reserve.

The revised indicative concept plan also designates other areas as ‘Development’ zone to provide flexibility for a range of land use outcomes after further investigation (please refer to the question above for more detail).

What happens after the MRS is amended?

Once the amendment is finalised, the City of Cockburn will update the zonings in its local planning scheme, as per the requirements of the Planning and Development Act 2005. The local planning scheme amendment process and/or a subsequent structure planning process will determine more specific local planning zones, reserves, land uses and potential improvements to the local movement network.

There will be more consultation and opportunities to provide feedback through the local planning scheme amendment process. 

Feedback on the revised indicative concept plan will be provided to the City of Cockburn to assist with the local planning scheme amendment process.