Residents of Mount Lawley, Menora, Inglewood and Coolbinia are calling on the City of Stirling, the WA Planning Commission, the Hon. Minister for Planning and Lands and Housing and Works and DevelopmentWA to take action in relation to the proposed Precinct Structure Plan for the redevelopment of the former ECU Mount Lawley site.

We support thoughtful infill development. However, the current Plan allows for excessive height and density, without the safeguards needed to protect the character, environment and liveability of our neighbourhood.

What’s being proposed

The draft Precinct Structure Plan proposes:

• Potentially 1,100 dwellings
• No defined maximum building height in key areas
• Scenarios include 15-storey buildings

This level of development is significantly out of scale with the surrounding area.

Why we are concerned 

1. No clear height limits

The Plan does not set a maximum building height for key areas. This creates uncertainty and opens the door to towers that are far taller than anything currently in the area.  A 15-storey tower would visually dominate the entire neighbourhood and be visible for kilometres.  

2. Density without transport to support it

The level of density proposed is typically seen near major transport hubs or the CBD. However, there is no train station nearby, and future transport improvements are uncertain. There will be increased congestion, pressure and parking on local streets.  The Plan acknowledges that key intersections will degrade as a result of the development.

3. Loss of trees and green space

The site currently contains a large number of trees (over 1300). The recent forward works application proposed potentially removing over 800 of them when the current tree canopy continues to be depleted.  The Plan does not include adequate protections to retain trees or guarantee meaningful public open space.

What we are asking for

We request that the Plan be amended to:

• Introduce clear and enforceable maximum building heights across the site consistent with the surrounding neighbourhood
• Ensure height and density are aligned with existing and funded transport capacity 
• Include binding requirements for tree retention and minimum public open space 
• Ensure development respects the character of surrounding neighbourhoods 
• Require appropriate protections for overshadowing, wind, and heat impacts and sensitive step-downs to surrounding streets

This is a once-in-a-generation redevelopment. Getting it right matters.

We support development on this site, but it must be done in a way that balances growth with the character, environment and liveability of the surrounding community.

The City of Stirling is required to make a recommendation to the WA Planning Commission in relation to the Plan.  We urge the City of Stirling to recommend that the Plan is revised to reflect these outcomes, and that the WA Planning Commission revise the Plan accordingly.  We also urge the Hon. Minister for Planning and Lands and Housing and Works and DevelopmentWA to take into account these requests.

If you live nearby or care about the future of this area, please sign and share.

Please also feel free to make a submission directly to the City of Stirling on their website (search ECU Mount Lawley Development Precinct Structure Plan) or email them directly at cityplanning@stirling.wa.gov.au.

Our neighbourhood is our most significant shared asset, and we are all stakeholders in its long-term vitality.