Skyscrapers towering over 50 storeys could be built in the Elizabeth Quay development, transforming the project from a tourist attraction into a vertical suburb. The original development guidelines stated that buildings could be a maximum of 30 storeys, but exceptions could be made for exceptional architecture.
Developers are planning to build over 1,000 apartments, and though sales prices could fall between $763,000 and $1.5 million, homes will be available to low-income earners and first-time buyers thanks to proposals put forward by the Housing Authority.
These new plans for the waterfront development come as developers and city planners wish to bolster Perth’s global city status. Previous development guidelines limited the height of buildings to prevent overshadowing and maintain the city’s overall image, but the new proposals take these factors into account.
Colin Barnett, the former premier who oversaw the creation of the Elizabeth Quay development, said he didn’t have issues with any tower taller than 50 stories “as long as it is good architecture, the view ways are protected and there is no issue with overshadowing.”
The Constructions That Could Transform Perth’s Skyline
Brookfield, a developer, has put forward plans for a development named PERTH+, which includes a 51-storey tower at Elizabeth Quay’s Lot 5 and a 19-storey tower at Lot 6. According to Brookfield’s regional director, Nicholas Ozich, the tallest building – which will be Perth’s third tallest at 220 metres – would house 200 apartments, restaurants, a hotel, and commercial space. The smaller tower would mostly accommodate offices.
The new proposals diverge from the original development plans, with the Lot 6 tower heightened and the Lot 5 lowered, but the total square metres adheres to the planning framework
What Mr. Ozich describes as an “iconic design” has resulted from a competition that REX Architecture won last year. According to Mr. Ozich, there will be 75 percent sunlight across the development’s public realm year-round. If the Metropolitan Redevelopment Authority approves the plans, the tallest tower at Lot 5 will be completed by 2021.
In addition to PERTH+, developer Adrian Fini intends to build EQ West at Lot 2, which is a 52-storey building comprising of 484 apartments, a sky deck, and an art gallery, though the site was originally intended for a 20-storey construction.
Mr. Fini’s company, CA & Associates, said: “There is no more suitable location for iconic international architecture in Perth. This is the building that Perth has been waiting for to showcase its growth as a global city.”
The Housing Authority (HA) is in talks with the developer to buy apartments, and it plans to recoup the money through affordable rentals and shared-equity sales. HA acting director Paul Whyte said: “This would give first-homebuyers or lower income earners an opportunity to buy a home in a high-amenity location close to their place of employment and transport links.”
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