Smith Street Build-to-Rent Project

An innovative project to deliver new social and affordable housing in partnership with WA’s community housing sector.

Last updated: 21 March 2024

The Department of Communities (Communities) is seeking to redevelop the former Stirling Towers public housing site at Lot 501 Smith Street, Highgate.

Through an Expression of Interest and a Request for Detailed Proposal process, Communities has engaged a consortium comprised of Community Housing Ltd and Tetris Capital as the successful proponents to undertake stage one of the Smith Street Build-to-Rent Project: demolition of the former public housing and preparation of the site for development.

This project is a key component of the WA Government’s Housing Diversity Pipeline of sites identified to deliver social housing stock in the short to medium term.

Project update

In March 2024, an application to demolish the site’s former Stirling Towers public housing was lodged with the Department of Communities in accordance with Western Australian Planning Commission (WAPC) Delegation Instrument DEL 2022/04 Powers of Officers (Housing Authority). The WAPC has delegated its approval power to the Housing Authority (operating within the Department of Communities), subject to a number of conditions that will be addressed in the demolition development application.

The City has advised it will advertise the application for public comment. Following this, it is expected the application outcome will be determined by the WAPC delegated authority in mid-2024.

Tetris Capital will procure an experienced contractor to undertake the demolition works in accordance with the demolition development approval and permit conditions.

Surrounding residents will be kept updated on the demolition timeframes and works as the project progresses.

More information

Updates will be made available on this page as the project progresses.

If you have any further queries about the project, or would like to report any maintenance issues at the site, please email smithstreetbuildtorent@communities.wa.gov.au.