Draft West End Heritage Area Policy and Potential Scheme Amendment

We're seeking feedback on a draft local planning policy (LPP) for the West End Heritage Area. We're also seeking input on a potential amendment to the City's local planning scheme relating to upper storey setbacks in the West End.

Located in the Fremantle City Centre the West End is widely considered to be one of the most significant and intact historical heritage precincts in Western Australia and was State Heritage-listed in 2017. We are proposing changes to our planning framework to ensure that the West End Heritage Area retains its heritage significance and character while allowing new land uses and re-use of these buildings as an important part of Fremantle's city centre.

Images courtesy of Fremantle City Library History Centre

The precinct includes properties fronting Phillimore Street, the rail line parallel to Little High Street, Marine Terrace and Collie Street and Market Street.

Draft policy

The draft policy outlines design criteria for new development on private land in the West End (including changes to existing buildings) and replaces existing policies from the 1990s. The policy details why the West End is important from a heritage conservation perspective and is broken up into urban design themes.

For further information, please download the Information Pack, and read the draft policy in full. You can also find both of these documents in the document library to the right.

Potential scheme amendment

We are also seeking feedback on a potential amendment to the Local Planning Scheme.

At present, the scheme requires that new development above the third storey (or 11 metres in height) must be set back out of view from the street. We are seeking feedback on a proposal to remove this requirement, as it is not consistent with the traditional building form in the West End and has not been successful in many instances. There would be no change to other existing height requirements, and more details are included in the Information Pack.

On the left, an example of an upper floor with the required setback. On the right, is the traditional streetscape form.

We encourage you to read both the Information Pack and the draft policy before sharing your thoughts with us in the survey below by 5:00 pm Monday 7 September. These documents are available in the document library to the right.

You can also drop-in to our Talk to a Planner session at the Moores Building Contemporary Art Gallery (main gallery) any time between 4:00 pm - 6:00 pm on Wednesday 26 August 2020 to ask questions and tell us your thoughts.