City’s vision for |future of strip

Attended by more than 200 people, including local business owners and residents, the meeting presented potential issues and outcomes for the strip between Walcott Street and Salisbury Street.

It was the first in a series of workshops that aim to produce a land use and transport plan for Beaufort Street while exploring opportunities to stimulate activity and encourage development.

Ecologically Sustainable Design urban designer and architect Chip Kaufman, who presented at the meeting, said planning for the future of Beaufort Street was needed now to set its character.

He said key areas that needed to be addressed were public transport, road widening, parking, character and heritage, building types and planning for increased residential developments.

Mr Kaufman said new residential and mixed use buildings at the northern end of Beaufort Street showed more development was inevitable for the rest of the strip.

‘The next wave of growth for Stirling’s Beaufort Street appears to be heading your way, but at this stage you have choices about its character and height,’ he said.

Attendees were shown examples of how a light rail could operate, mixed-use design options and potential sites for future growth opportunities.

Mr Kaufman said the State Government’s Directions 2031 planning document required the City of Stirling to add 31,000 more dwellings in the next 17 years, prompting the need for future planning.

‘If you have a lot of population working and residing along Beaufort Street it is going to sustain more of the things you like on the strip such as restaurants and shops,’ he said.

Gilbert Rochescouste also addressed the meeting, highlighting the importance of place-making as a part of the planning process.

His said the key principles of this process were focusing on people, local distinctiveness, promoting public space, working together and making areas walkable with places to sit.

A visioning workshop was also held with local traders last week, with future community engagement planned in the coming months.

– For more information, go to stirling.wa.gov.au/BeaufortStreet