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Stirling Mayor declares city “Perth’s second CBD” at annual breakfast

Kate LeaverStirling Times

MAYOR Giovanni Italiano has proclaimed Stirling city centre will be “Perth’s second CBD” and “it’s all happening” at this morning’s annual Mayoral Business Breakfast.

Cr Italiano outlined recent infrastructure projects and also told the breakfast $1.47 billion worth of development applications had been approved by the City in the past year.

“Since last year, both AMP and Westfield have had their development applications approved, valued together at just over $1 billion,” he said.

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“The planned $450 million expansion of Westfield Innaloo will play a significant part in the transformation of the Stirling City Centre into Perth’s second CBD.”

Metropolitan Redevelopment Authority (MRA) chief executive Kieran Kinsella outlined plans for the $78 million Scarborough redevelopment, with forward works having started earlier this month.

“For too long Scarborough has been a massive carpark; we want to make it more pedestrian friendly,” Mr Kinsella said.

“We want to create a welcome place for everyone and want to see mums, dads and grandparents pushing prams.”

Mr Kinsella revealed the first concept drawings for the new Scarborough Surf Life Saving Club (SLSC) (the images were not released to the public) and said the planned ‘intergenerational plaza’ would include professional skate facilities and a climbing wall.

“We’ve already been in talks with Perth Festival and Fringe Festival to be part of their programs,” he said.

Deputy Premier and Scarborough MLA Liza Harvey said she was excited to see the redevelopment in her “front yard” Scarborough Beach, which started with the removal of trees as part of the forward works last week.

“Scarborough Beach is one of the only places where you can knock down 170 trees and have people cheering,” she said.

“No one likes those trees blocking the view there.”

Mr Kinsella said at least 600 trees would be planted to replace those removed earlier this month.

Construction on the City’s $26 million Beach Pool project will begin in August, bringing the entire spend for the precinct to $100 million.

“It will take two years to transform Scarborough into the best beachfront destination in Australia, but I can assure you the short-term pain will well and truly be worth the long-term gain,” Cr Italiano said.

Cr Italiano also said Mirrabooka was a “sleeping giant” which had awoken with $26 million revitalisation works completed in April.

Ms Harvey said the Mirrabooka project turned a crime hotspot into a community hub.