Draft concept plan chosen for Rockingham Rd upgrade

THE City of Cockburn has endorsed a draft concept plan for the upgrade of Rockingham Road.

At the April council meeting councillors voted to accept the Option 2 draft concept plan to create a town centre between Phoenix Road and Coleville Crescent.

Included in the plan were new roundabouts at the Rockingham Rd intersections with Coleville Cres and Lancaster Street and at the Phoenix Shopping Centre entrance nearest McDonalds, reducing Rockingham Rd to one lane in both directions, reducing the speed limit to 40 or 50km/h and a new access to the shopping centre.

Cockburn planning and development services director Daniel Arndt said the project had been a priority since the Phoenix Central Revitalisation Strategy was adopted in 2009.

“The strategy addresses long held community and business stakeholder aspirations for an attractive, welcoming town centre that demonstrates and reassures people of its role as an important district centre for the City,” he said.

“The next step is to proceed to a detailed design.

“The City will work with the Phoenix Shopping Centre owners, and part of the recommendation deals with the in-principle position that the shopping centre seek to rejuvenate part of its frontage to Rockingham Road to help complete the proposed road upgrade.”

Phoenix Working Group member and Spearwood resident John Cunai said there was almost 100 per cent agreement that major improvements needed to happen in the area.

“There are many examples throughout Perth metropolitan and regional towns where say ‘Option 2’ that is proposed has been proven to be effective, not only in calming traffic and better/safer pedestrian access but enhancing the aesthetics which potentially leads to a better social hub, or at the very least encourages it,” he said.

“We as a working group can not imagine a better area for this to happen and we also think it’s the best result possible considering it is an old established area.

“This project has been discussed, deliberated, delayed and deferred for too long and to say it is overdue would be a total understatement.”

Phoenix Shopping Centre representatives were asked for comment but did not respond before deadline.