Cambridge to wind back major height restrictions for new planning scheme amid community backlash

The Town of Cambridge may wind back some of its higher-density provisions after it received criticism from the community about parts of its new draft local planning scheme. The draft local planning scheme No. 2 was released for community consultation last year. The council received that feedback via a report on Tuesday. The new plan was drafted to takeover Cambridge’s existing local planning scheme and will set new guidelines for the town’s future and development. Planning and Lands John Carey Minister has already approved the update, subject to key density changes for designated activity centres and urban corridors. Mr Carey recommended rezoning the Cambridge Street corridor from its current two to three-storeys for residential developments to up to nine-storeys in some areas. A similar modification would also apply to key activity centres in Floreat, West Leederville and Wembley. Height limits for much of the land in these centres are currently capped at four storeys or zoned as “mixed use”. Under the proposed State Government changes, these strategic precincts would be reclassified as R-AC0, allowing for greater building heights, plot ratios and residential densities. The popular Empire Village Shopping Centre on The Boulevard at City Beach could also be redeveloped to seven storeys and the former Newman Junior College site to four storeys under the changes. According to the town’s feedback report, it received 322 submissions from western suburbs residents — mostly expressing concern about the proposed density changes and their potential flow-on affects on local traffic, infrastructure capacity and neighbourhood character. Most of the 28 agencies and public authorities that provided a response were generally supportive. “While some submitters supported higher densities in principle, particularly around activity centres and public transport, many sought clearer justification, stronger transitions and safeguards, and better alignment with the local planning strategy and associated planning guidance,” the report said. In the report to council, town administrators addressed many of the issues raised by the community, and proposed a series of modifications to scale back some of the advertised density provisions. This included a reduction in density allocations within the Cambridge Street urban corridor precincts to help moderate future traffic demand. The report also states that building heights associated with some of the proposed density codes were “excessive in some areas” and recommended more gradual transitions between higher-density precincts and surrounding residential neighbourhoods to minimise amenity impacts. In relation to the former Newman Junior College site on Peebles Road, officers recommended that if State planning authorities ultimately decide to depart from the Town’s adopted Local Planning Strategy, the land should be capped at an R50. “Draft LPS2 requires modifications to better align with the objectives and strategic directions of the local planning strategy,” the report said. A decision on the new local planning scheme is expected to be made at the town’s June 30 council meeting. The scheme and the town’s recommended modifications will then be referred to the Western Australian Planning Commission for its consideration, and returned for Mr Carey’s final approval.