Perth's biggest-ever development could go 100 per cent plastic-free

The developer behind one of Perth’s biggest ever projects, Belmont Park on Burswood Peninsula, has given a glimpse into potentially game-changing ideas being tossed around for the development, including making it plastic free.

The first artist impressions of Golden Group’s $3.8 billion, 1500-apartment redevelopment of the Belmont Park raceway were released in May with the turning of the sod.

Artist impression of the Belmont Park redevelopment on Burswood Peninsula. Credit: Golden Group.

Group managing director Andrew Sugiaputra addressed an Urban Development Institute WA event on Friday themed around ‘creating a city of villages’, as Belmont Park is set to be the state’s largest ever masterplanned community.

Mr Sugiaputra, a Perth resident for 23 years, said he was aiming for a five green star-rated development.

He was also toying with the idea of a plastic-free development, with no plastic bottles or cups or other single-use plastic items to be used anywhere.

“Some say we’d be crazy for doing this,” he said.

“I say, are we crazy for not doing it?”

He also brought up the concept of “after care”, explaining that to him it made little sense to get more follow up services for buying a $30,000 car than a $1 million apartment.

“If you buy the car you get a call a month later to ask how it’s running, you get free washes, follow up services, so on,” he said.

“You buy an apartment and it’s all, ‘your final payment is due and if it’s late we’ll be charging you interest ... here are the keys and if something goes wrong, don’t call us.

“Kind of like the way people think that a marriage is the end goal of a relationship. It’s not – it’s just the beginning of a journey.”

The Belmont Park community would be different, he said. Residents could expect a full time events curator to organise events for them and the wider community, as well as a handyman, concierge, babysitting services, cleaners and car wash services.

Artist's impression. Credit: Golden Group.

He was investigating ways to provide all this but keep strata levies affordable.

One solution was to keep the cost of living low, potentially through purchasing power in bulk for residents. He said Western Power was being "quite forward thinking" and he looked forward to working with them further on this.

He said there was a lot of risk involved, but things were looking up, with the train station and stadium, the Town of Victoria Park embracing new ideas and 38 hectares of blank canvas that represented both opportunity and challenge.

“When we bought it, people said, why this parcel? It’s in the middle of nowhere,” he said.

“Now it’s in the middle of everything ... we are lucky.”

He expected the community would cater for downsizers and families, “SINKs and DINKs”.

It would aim to achieve a balance of opportunities for people to work, play and relax, cater for different age groups, and maximise opportunities for people to engage with the river.

It had been a “bold move” to include the large 3500sqm riverfront town square (about the size of 13 tennis courts) in addition to the riverfront area, and investors had not been keen, but it was “the right thing to do”.

A big part of its success would be the rollout and cohesion of this space, which was now being designed – the vision being a large, relaxed plaza with a major central artwork.

“I can understand the desire for the quarter-acre block, but we need to embrace, adapt and evolve as a city if we are to stay relevant in today’s world,” he said.

“With such low density it’s no wonder restaurants and bars struggle.”

The next steps on the project were the civil infrastructure and public open space, with works on the ‘town square’ to start in the fourth quarter of 2018.

Golden Group was also preparing to lodge development applications for the first two apartment towers, likely around 30 storeys each.

While he was unsure of the timing of the launch, there were positive sentiments brewing in the market and the industry should “watch this space”.

There will be 4500 residential apartments built on the peninsula by the time the project reaches completion.

The project is being designed by Hassell, which also designed the neighbouring Optus Stadium and Crown Towers.