25-year Joondalup development project officially completed

5/6/03
Australia's most significant 'new town' development project has been officially completed, with the normalisation of the City of Joondalup.
Planning and Infrastructure Minister Alannah MacTiernan today announced the final handover of planning control and key facilities to the City of Joondalup by LandCorp.
Ms MacTiernan said a recent study predicted that by 2020 the overall economic impact of the development - in today's money - would reach $40billion.
"The future of Joondalup is now in the hands of the city and its people," the Minister said.
"Joondalup is becoming a thriving city, offering exciting investment and employment opportunities and superb lifestyle choices.
"It serves a catchment of 240,000 people and helps provide 8,000 jobs in a diverse mix of retail, entertainment, commercial and industrial businesses.
"More than 13,000 students attend institutions including Edith Cowan University, West Coast College of TAFE, Australian Institute of University Studies, Notre Dame and Curtin satellite campuses, Joondalup Health Campus and the WA Police Academy.
"The City of Joondalup manages one of the biggest local government cultural programs in the nation, with a budget of $1.2million, and operates the largest public library in Western Australia."
Ms MacTiernan said a study by Curtin University's Institute for Research into International Competitiveness (IRIC) had valued both the direct and flow-on effects of the development from 1977 to the present, with projections to 2020 at $40billion.
Development of the Joondalup Strategic Regional Centre and surrounding residential areas by LandCorp and its predecessor, the Joondalup Development Corporation (JDC), had seen the transformation of more than 1,100ha and created tens of thousands of jobs - both through construction and ongoing business activity.
It had attracted investment of $270million by LandCorp and the JDC; $500million by the State Government, $2million by the Cities of Wanneroo and Joondalup and more than $1billion by the private sector.
By 2021, Joondalup would serve a catchment of 500,000 people and provide about 14,000 jobs.
Ms MacTiernan said Joondalup had attracted national and international attention because of its leading-edge urban design.
"The vision for Joondalup, outlined by Professor Gordon Stephenson in 1977 in the first statutory plan of the Joondalup Development Corporation is widely considered as a pioneer of sustainable development in Australia," the Minister said.
"Throughout the planning process, a commitment to creating local jobs, developing the community and integrating development with the natural environment have been evident.
"Many of Joondalup's design principles, such as traditional main streets and housing diversity, have since been adopted in the State Government's Liveable Neighbourhoods policy."
Ms MacTiernan also launched a website http://www.joondalupcity.com.au tracing the story of the vision and visionaries, community and economic growth, environmental stewardship and the lessons learned.
"It will be of interest to many people, including those discovering their local history and planners wanting to study a leading example of urban development," she said.
Minister's Oofice - 9213 6400