Opening of Ellenbrook project foreshadows boom in joint projects

8/9/95

Western Australia is poised to reap the rewards of more than a billion dollars' worth of future joint venture housing projects involving the State Government in partnership with the private sector.

Housing Minister Kevin Prince and Planning Minister Richard Lewis today forecast a future boom in joint projects at the opening of the $1.5 billion Ellenbrook project.

Ellenbrook is the biggest residential land development project ever undertaken in WA and is a joint project between Homeswest and the Sanwa Vines company.

Mr Lewis said the growth of Ellenbrook, in Perth's rapidly expanding north-eastern corridor, would provide an estimated 10 per cent of Perth's total residential land supply over the next decade.

Mr Prince said the partnership between Homeswest and Sanwa Vines was the most extensive of its kind to date and would see the staged release of about 12,000 homes to house an estimated 35,000 people.

"Although joint venturing with the private sector is not new to the State Government, the success of Ellenbrook means that Homeswest will look at a number of similar projects based on the model," Mr Prince said.

"The fact that $25 million has been spent on the joint venture since 1994 indicates a significant show of faith in the State's building industry and the WA economy as a whole."

Mr Lewis said the Ellenbrook project demonstrated the benefits of progressive regional planning, with a major environmental focus including the creation of parks, recreation reserves and nature conservation areas covering some 600 hectares of the site.

"A very thorough, and in some cases innovative, approach to the project by the joint venture partners has been successful in delivering a very high standard of urban development," the Minister said.

"The consideration of issues including drainage, protection of the Gnangara water mound and the preservation of flora and fauna habitats will benefit both the environment and future residents."

Mr Lewis said a rigorous environmental assessment of the project had led to the construction of a series of specially designed nutrient stripping ponds installed to protect the Swan River and the important ground water resources.

A land exchange agreement negotiated with the State Government had also seen more than 250 hectares of joint venture land set aside to protect wetlands which would form part of the protected nature conservation area.

Mr Prince said it was long-term, large-scale projects like Ellenbrook which actively paid attention to the future needs of the community and of the environment and which would provide practical support and strength to the building industry.

"WA's housing and commercial construction industry is worth around $2.7 billion annually and more than half of that is in housing," Mr Prince said.

"Ellenbrook will provide a range of land and housing packages to suit a broad spectrum of the market with a wide choice of affordable housing to be provided by some of Perth's top builders.

"Homeswest's involvement in this superior project will set the tone for a multitude of future developments on a variety of scales."

Both Ministers pointed out that public consultation had played a key role in Ellenbrook's development.

"The implementation of a comprehensive community development plan will go one step further in ensuring that the ongoing needs of people living in the area are met," Mr Lewis said.

He said Ellenbrook would be directly linked to Perth's highway system with the extension of Reid Highway and Lord Street and that residents would have immediate access to public transport.

"A rapid transit corridor which has already been reserved north of Reid Highway will link Ellenbrook to the City in the future," the Minister said.

Mr Prince said Ellenbrook's launch was the culmination of more than six years of planning, zoning and environmental processes.

Construction was almost complete on the project's centrepoint - Woodlake Village - with one family already in residence and more set to follow soon.

Media contacts: Mr Lewis: Bronwyn Hillman 222 9595, 221 1377

Mr Prince: Stacey Molloy 366 0300