Cottesloe Activity Centre (Cottesloe Village) Precinct Structure Plan
The Shire of Peppermint Grove and the Town of Cottesloe are jointly preparing a Precinct Structure Plan for the Cottesloe Activity Centre (Cottesloe Village).
The site area includes the Grove Library, Cottesloe Central Shopping Centre, Cottesloe Train Station and surrounding landholdings in Napoleon Street, Station Street and Jarrad Street. It covers approximately 20 hectares within multiple ownerships and management controls. The area also includes land and facilities managed by State Government.
In the past three years, preliminary work was undertaken on the development of a Draft Cottesloe Village Precinct Plan. This work involved a community engagement process, as well input from various consultants on movement and access, economic sustainability and urban design. In October 2019 the Draft Cottesloe Village Precinct Plan was endorsed by Council and advertised for public comment. Since then, the Western Australian Planning Commission (WAPC) finalised, and adopted the State Planning Policy 7.2 Precinct Design (SPP 7.2). In accordance with SPP 7.2 the Draft Cott Village Precinct Plan will now be delivered as a Precinct Structure Plan.
This means that further work is required to build on the Draft Cottesloe Village Precinct Plan. It is being reviewed and updated, to meet new policy guidelines.
A draft ‘Concept Plan’ will be released for feedback later in the year, and there will be opportunities for other interested stakeholders and members of the community to provide input through open days and a digital survey. Details will be confirmed closer to the time.
Project Technical Facilitation Group
A Project Technical Facilitation Group has been established to investigate how to better shape decisions which might impact the Cottesloe Village – in particular decisions around the Stirling Highway and the Perth to Fremantle Railway. It will also progress design and planning work explaining the vision for the centre and how day-to-day planning decisions need to deliver on this vision. State and local planning needs to make clear this direction for the designers of future buildings and spaces.
Community Reference Group
To kick start the community engagement process, a Community Reference Group has been appointed. The members have been selected from key organisations and a demographically diverse sample of residents from the Shire and Town, who responded to a public expression of interest process. The members will provide input and a local perspective, by participating in three workshop sessions. Their input will help shape the overall approach for the Cottesloe Village Precinct Structure Plan.
The degree to which a plan may influence the decisions of private land developers relies upon community and stakeholder support and agreement of vision and objectives for the Cottesloe Village.
The next stages will involve design and technical professionals examining options to improve the flow of traffic around and through the centre, to liberate more space for pedestrians, cyclists and overall open green space. Building forms (height and site coverage) are also important design matters, especially given that the Cottesloe Village currently benefits from a network of alleys and arcades as well as laneways for service vehicles.
The challenge is to be put to architects and urban designers to re-imagine a refreshed Cottesloe Village rather than a ground-zero redevelopment or an ad-hoc pastiche of disconnected sites.
Crossing of the highway and the railway, as well as ‘minimal’ facilities at the Cottesloe Rail station, are obvious areas for better attention to design. The overall land use character of the Cottesloe Village is also an important consideration. It needs to retain and build upon its present character.
Our earlier research indicates the ‘Cott village’ (pre-COVID19) as a remarkably diverse collection of services and goods for it modest floorspace footprint. Commercial rents per square metre are some of the highest on Perth, somewhat surprising given many of the modest and dated buildings and tired public spaces. The great coastal location must count for something intangible but valuable.
The possibility was raised that Cottesloe Village in the future might focus on specialist niches for goods and services. A more tailored approach to land use and planning might be required to assemble the most useful and complementary collection of businesses and related uses to consider calling Cottesloe home. A design industry district is emerging to the south-east of the village. From a small start, this emphasis may continue to attract other design professions to locate in and around Cottesloe – to grow a culture of quality design.
Cottesloe Central already blends the staples of supermarket and consumables, with health and wellness services. The civic centre at the Grove is one of the best local government facilities in the western suburbs. Other parts of the village may develop for services of hospitality and possibly tourism. The low-key sophistication is often cited as the character of the village – a west coast vibe of chic, but friendly. Success will require plenty of business owners, operators, landlords and residents to join to a shared vision for an exciting local urban rail village of the future.
The following links will take you to the Research Reports: