Stirling councillors have voted against a controversial proposal to transform the former Edith Cowan University Mt Lawley campus into a residential precinct, dealing a significant setback to the plan described by critics as a “concrete jungle”.
Council rejects officer recommendation
At a council meeting on Tuesday night, councillors rejected the officer recommendation to support the DevelopmentWA Precinct Structure Plan for the 18.75-hectare site. Instead, they voted to recommend refusal to the Western Australian Planning Commission (WAPC), the final decision-maker, until key concerns are addressed.
The proposal aims to guide redevelopment after ECU’s relocation to the Perth City Campus, including 1,100 mixed housing units, public open spaces, a future primary school, and adaptive reuse of several heritage buildings.
Community opposition cited
Councillor Suzanne Migdale said community feedback made it clear residents did not support the proposal as presented. “The results of public advertising are very clear: a majority of local residents who took the time to engage with this process do not support the precinct structure plan in its current form,” she said. “More than half of the 78 submissions objected and their concerns are not marginal or technical. They go to the heart of how this proposal will change character, function and liveability of Mt Lawley.”
Cr Migdale said residents were worried about building heights and density. “Residents are worried about the building heights and density that they see as being out of scale for a suburb that is not an activity centre,” she said. “Design testing shows towers of up to 15 storeys at Alexandra Drive and Central Avenue in a context dominated by single dwellings and low-rise development.”
Environmental and heritage concerns
Councillor Elizabeth Re said the redevelopment risked destroying decades of environmental work on the site. “The trees that were planted have encouraged wildlife and biodiversity in the neighbourhood, they shouldn’t be trashed in such a way that is suggested to make it another concrete jungle,” she said. More than 800 trees could be removed from the former campus if the plan proceeds.
Cr Re also stressed the site’s educational and historical significance. “This isn’t a housing development. This was supposed to make sure that the idea between education and heritage remains in that area,” she said. “This is a great opportunity to ensure that the history, the heritage of the people, groups, etc within the City of Stirling are maintained.”
Proponents defend the plan
Megan Gammon from Urbis and Mariam Yaqub from DevelopmentWA spoke in support of the proposal. “It delivers key outcomes including housing choice, land for a future primary school, significant public open space, improved connectivity, and opportunities to retain and adapt important campus buildings,” Ms Yaqub said. “These outcomes align with the many priorities identified by both the city and the community for the future of the site.”
Ms Gammon said the plan protects the site’s character and legacy. “The PSP identifies three distinct character areas, each with a tailored built form and landscape response that reflects its context and relationship to surrounding neighbourhoods,” she said. “The plan provides for a diversity of housing types to support changing household needs while directing higher density outcomes to the most appropriate portions of the precinct.”
Director planning and development Amanda Shears said officers were fully supportive of the proposal, noting the site’s unique location 5km from the Perth CBD. “Because of its location, on a prime corridor, it does warrant a different outcome than a suburban area,” she said.
Next steps
Council will now formally recommend refusal to WAPC, which will make the final decision at a later date. Councillor Tony Krsticevic noted it was “unusual” that a proposal on something “so large and controversial” had received such little community response, given it will impact thousands of people.
