Perth’s front lawn set to grow even further as state stumped on Waterbank future

The Perth CBD’s seemingly endless stretch of front lawn looks set to grow even further along the river as government planners struggle to find viable options for the future of the Waterbank site east of the city.

The site was being investigated by the WA government as a potential site for the future East Perth Primary School, but it didn’t prove as feasible as the car park site next to Queens Gardens that has ultimately been chosen.

The Waterbank site has remained a sandpit for years.Credit: Emma Young

With that idea falling through and no serious contenders to develop the geotechnically tricky site, WAtoday understands the state is strongly considering laying turf on the existing sandpit and turning the area into public open space.

It is understood this could also be used by the nearby Trinity College boy’s school, which is on the hunt for more playing field space.

Turning the site into public open space will add to the Perth CBD’s existing portfolio of grassed areas, including the 900-metre-long, 90,000-square-metre patch of lawn on Langley Park.

The Waterbank site is six hectares meaning it could potentially take the city’s total riverside lawn area to 150,000 square metres.

The move would be consistent with the City of Perth’s position, which was to reallow public access to the site that could be mowed and maintained by the city in the interim while the state investigates possible future uses.

“The City of Perth has long called for that area to be activated,” Perth Lord Mayor Basil Zempilas said.

“It’s an ugly eyesore at the moment and if public open space and some playing fields are a viable alternative to a larger scale development in that area, then we would welcome that.”

When it was announced by the Barnett Government in 2011 the $1billion Waterbank redevelopment was touted as the centrepiece of the rejuvenation of the eastern end of the city.

However, geotechnical issues associated with building on the swampy edge of the Swan River have made it difficult to build the high-rise buildings developers would need to make the project work.

Lendlease was selected as the preferred developer for the site but 11 years after that announcement they exited the project, leaving DevelopmentWA to investigate the future of the site.

The school was one of these options, but the Queens Gardens site emerged as the more viable option, an agency spokesman said.

“The advice from the Department of Education is that the Queens Garden site is preferred for a number of factors,” he said.

“It will enable the delivery of a new primary school in the fastest timeframe to provide much-needed relief to Highgate Primary School and is easy to access, close to transport routes and offers opportunities for future students to benefit from world-class nearby facilities such as those that are part of the WACA redevelopment.

“Working with various stakeholders, DevelopmentWA continues to investigate potential future uses for the complex Waterbank site.”

The spokesman said DevelopmentWA was working to reactivate Trinity Avenue, which has been closed since early site preparation works commenced a decade ago.

“DevelopmentWA will reactivate Trinity Avenue with works expected to commence in late 2023 and be completed in mid‐2024,” he said.

Trinity College did not respond to a request for comment.

East Perth is on the precipice of major redevelopment with planned redevelopments of Gloucester Park and the WACA ground in the wings.

On Wednesday the state government announced the WACA redevelopment, which included a new aquatic centre, had blown out by more than $32 million.

When the project was first announced in September 2020 as part of the Perth City Deal it was slated to cost about $115 million but the blowout, which will be covered by the WA taxpayer, takes it to about $150 million.