Proposed Bassendean Activity Centre Planning

A Report for the Bassendean Community

July 2016
Authored by urbanist Dr Linley Lutton

Qualifications and experience of the author

The author was awarded his PhD (UWA) in 1996 for his research into the systematic design and design
evaluation of the built environment. He has expertise in architecture, planning, and urban social
geography and has undertaken major urban planning projects locally and internationally. His
combination of skills gives him an integrated understanding of the physical, social and economic issues
associated with good contemporary urban planning. He is an advocate for better city planning who
currently teaches and researches urban planning at the School of Earth and Environment, UWA.
Focus
This report focusses on the proposed Bassendean activity centre plan in terms of:
1. Physical planning; and,
2. The extent to which the plan fits with the character of the Bassendean town centre.
Documents reviewed
The following document was reviewed:
1) Bassendean Activity Centre Concept Plan prepared by Landcorp (see image below).

Use and purpose of this report

This report has been prepared to assist the community of Bassendean to understand the implications
of infill development as proposed in the Bassendean Activity Centre Concept Plan. The report
expresses the authors professional opinion based on a review of the concept plans and may be used
without restriction by the Bassendean community.
1

Contents
1.0

Background to Activity Centre Planning and Urban Infill ......................................................... 3

2.0

Wilson St precinct....................................................................................................................... 4

2.1

2.1.1

Overshadowing............................................................................................................... 4

2.1.2

Overall intensity of development .................................................................................. 4

2.1.3

Location adjacent a busy road ....................................................................................... 5

2.1.4

Use of public transport and supply of on-site parking .................................................. 5

2.2
3.0

Assessment of the Wilson Street precinct against stated objectives ................................... 6

BIC Reserve Precinct ................................................................................................................... 7

3.1

Analysis ................................................................................................................................... 7

3.1.1

Overshadowing............................................................................................................... 7

3.1.2

Overall intensity of development .................................................................................. 7

3.1.3

Amenity for apartment residents .................................................................................. 8

3.2
4.0

Assessment of the BIC reserve precinct against stated objectives ...................................... 9

Bassendean Oval Precinct .......................................................................................................... 9

4.1

Analysis ................................................................................................................................. 10

4.1.1

Overshadowing............................................................................................................. 10

4.1.2

On-site parking for 8 storey ......................................................................................... 10

4.2
5.0

Analysis ................................................................................................................................... 4

Assessment of the Bassendean Oval precinct against stated objectives ........................... 10

Overall comments .................................................................................................................... 11

1.0

Background to Activity Centre Planning and Urban Infill

Activity centre planning is an initiative of the Western Australian Planning Commission aimed,
according to the state planners, at creating a more liveable city. The three overarching aims of this
initiative are:
1) To increase residential density;
2) To create mixed-use places where people can live and work; and,
3) To encourage more people to use public transport.
These three aims, if appropriately undertaken to reflect the context of the place in which they are
being applied, could be supported. It is critical however to understand that these aims simply reflect
physical planning strategies and that the creation of truly liveable towns and cities requires far more
than mere physical planning.
There are serious concerns amongst urbanists about the validity of activity centre planning in
Australian cities1. The greatest concern is that many activity centre plans are unrealistic and
ideologically driven and delivered by government agencies who are focussed primarily on satisfying
government goals and ideologies with little empathy for local community values.
The concept of activity centre planning was borrowed from other states and found application in Perth
during the states recent population boom. During the boom there seemed to be no limit to population
growth and densification of the city seemed a logical argument to the states planners. However,
following the boom the rate of population growth in Perth has dramatically declined2 and the state
government planning agency has not reviewed its strategy. Arbitrary targets for infill development are
not being met in Perth due in large part to the limited acceptance of apartment living, particularly in
outer suburban areas3. An oversupply of apartments, particularly of the sub-optimal type, is now being
experienced in Perth4. Furthermore, the central argument that locating higher density developments
near public transport facilities encourages people to use the facility cannot be substantiated5 which
seriously undermines the governments rational for over densification near train stations.
Perth has very little undeveloped urban land to accommodate urban infill and there are no underdevelop areas of urban land in Bassendean and many other suburbs like it. Regardless, Bassendean
has been targeted with finding room for 4,200 new dwellings 6and this proposed activity centre plan
attempts to find space for 350 to 400 of these in the town centre. The Bassendean town centre would
appeal to state planners as a fruitful source for urban infill due to its undeveloped reserves (BIC
Reserve) and land around the Bassendean oval. Unlike other countries, Western Australias state
planners fail to understand that open space plays a crucial role in promoting wellbeing among urban
residents7 and across the metropolitan area they are filling every pocket of green they can find.

Birrell, B. et al 2005, Melbourne 2030: Planning Rhetoric Versus Urban Reality Chapter 1, Looking Back: Looking Forward,
Monash University Publishing
2
ABS - 3218.0 - Regional Population Growth, Australia, 2013-14
3
The housing wed choose: a study for Perth and Peel, 2013
4
http://reiwa.com.au/about-us/news/perth-apartment-supply-overview/ retrieved 29/4/2016
5
ABS 2011 Journey to work statistics
6 Towards Perth and Peel @ 3.5 million people (2015)
7
See for example Ulrich. R. et al, Aesthetic and Affective Response to Natural Environment, In I. Altman & J. Wohlwill
(Eds.), Human Behavior and Environment, Vo1.6: Behavior and Natural Environment., New York: Plenum, 85-1 25; Kaplan.
3

This report looks briefly at the following three precincts proposed for urban infill in the Bassendean
town centre:

2.0

Wilson Street
BIC Reserve
Bassendean Oval

Wilson St precinct

The Wilson street site is currently an undeveloped reserve site. The activity centre planning shows the
desire to build on the site between 65 and 100 apartments in one five to eight storey building and
several three storey buildings. A mixed use is proposed including some commercial premises at ground
level and apartments above.

Activity centre proposal

2.1

The site as it currently stands

Analysis

2.1.1

Overshadowing

1) An 8 storey building will cast a 40m shadow during winter time (sun angle of 32 degrees).
2) This will overshadow the site right to the southern-most boundary including greater than 50%
of the three storey buildings.
3) The proposed public space on the south side will be completely overshadowed.
4) Any building on the northern side of this site can be no higher than 4 storeys or 25m to prevent
overshadowing of buildings on the southern side.

2.1.2

Overall intensity of development

1) The stated number of apartments on this site is between 65 and 100.

R, and Kaplan. S, 1989 The experience of nature: A psychological perspective, Cambridge University Press; Rodriguez. T,
(2016) City Parks May Mend the Mind, Scientific American Mind.
4

2) With a site area in the region of 2,700m2, this will result in a density of between 240 and 370
dwellings per hectare.
3) This density is many times greater than the pattern of development established in Bassendean
and is even higher than most developments being proposed in suburbs closer to the city
centre.
4) For 65 apartments the resultant plot ratio area will be approximately 6,000m2 and for 100
apartments the plot ratio area will be 9,000m2 based on an average apartment area of 90m2
which is a standard average used across Perth at the present time allowing for a mix of small
and medium apartments. The plot ratio range is therefore approximately between 2.0 and
3.0. The majority of this plot ratio area is concentrated in the five to eight story apartment
building. The result bulk and mass of this building will appear at odds with the surrounding
buildings in the town centre.

2.1.3

Location adjacent a busy road

1) Guildford Road carries 21,000 vehicles per day which will create a regular level of trafficrelated noise of 70 decibels8.
2) This is regarded as being an unhealthy noise level and any building located adjacent this level
of constant background noise should be designed to mitigate the noise9.
3) The use of double glazing will achieve this however when opened for fresh air, unless air
conditioned 100% of the time, the noise will enter the apartment.
4) This building should not be located so close to Guilford Road.

2.1.4

Use of public transport and supply of on-site parking

1) Approximately 15% of people living within walking distance of the Bassendean train station
use this mode of transport to journey to work10.
2) At an average occupancy rate of 1.6 persons per apartment11, 65 apartments will yield a
resident population of 104 people and 100 apartments will yield a resident population of 160
people.
3) For a resident population of 104, 15 people could be expected to use the train and for a
population of 160, 24 people could be expected to use the train.
4) Residents still relying on their own motor vehicles will range from 89 to 136.
5) Average minimum rate of car parking provided per unit therefore should be at least 1.
6) At a rate of 25m2/car bay12 the area consumed by 65 cars is 1,625m2 and 2,500m2 for 100
cars.
7) At 2,500m2 almost the entire site will be covered with a single level of parking. To keep these
apartments at an affordable level it will be very unlikely that multiple levels of basement
parking will be provided. At-grade parking will therefore be provided which will leave very
little room for other ground-level active within the buildings uses such as shops or offices.
8) Failure to provide sufficient resident parking at an approximate rate of 1 car per apartment
will be unworkable.
8

W. Mior, and M. H. F. de Salis, (2002) Case study of tyre noise: assessment and comparison of different road surfaces,
Acoustics 2002 - Innovation in Acoustics and Vibration, Annual Conference of the Australian Acoustical Society, 3-15
November 2002, Adelaide, Australia.
9

Monica S. Hammer. S. Monica, Environmental Noise Pollution in the United States: Developing an Effective Public Health
Response, Environ Health Perspective, 2014
10
Eastern metropolitan regional council, People who travelled to work on public transport, 2011 atlas
11 Current apartment occupancy rate for Perth metropolitan area
12 This allows for an average car bay width of 2.5m and a portion of the associated manoeuvring isle
5

9) The argument often used by government planners is that provision of no car parking spaces
will compel residents to use nearby train services. For those residents employed in the CBD
it may prove convenient to use the train however, when the service does not provide a direct
link between home and work, residents will rely on having a car.
10) To assume that older senior citizens may not need a car and an associated parking space
seriously misunderstand the independent living needs of retirees. Independence derived
through use of a private motor vehicle, particularly in Perths outer urban environment, is
critical to the lifestyle of older people.

2.2

Assessment of the Wilson Street precinct against stated objectives

This precinct fails to achieve the following objectives:

Ensuring buildings provide a welcoming and
beautiful street interface

An eight-storey modern apartment building is

not a welcoming gesture to the Bassendean
town centre.

Visually respecting existing heritage and

character of Bassendean

Large northern building will be too high and

bulky and will read as an anomaly rather than
complementing the visual character of the
existing town centre.

Best practice sustainability initiatives

Excessive overshadowing caused by a northernsited eight story building will prevent the lower
southern-sited buildings gaining access to
sunlight in winter months. This is contrary to all
good sustainability practices.

Adequate consideration of parking

requirements

At both the lower and higher density levels

being proposed, onsite parking will be difficult
to provide effectively.

A commercial ground floor will provide

opportunities for employment and local
business

The commercial ground floor in the large

northern building will be used primarily for
parking and will offer at best some very thin
commercial tenancies facing the street. This will
offer little in terms of employment in the town
centre.

3.0

BIC Reserve Precinct

The site is currently an undeveloped reserve. The activity centre plan shows the desire to build 100 to
110 apartments in two five storey buildings on land at the end of James Street and on reserve land in
front of the existing council building and senior citizens centre. The proposal states that some
commercial opportunities at ground level may exist.

Activity centre proposal

3.1

Analysis

3.1.1

Overshadowing

The site as it currently stands

1) A 5 storey building will cast a 29m shadow during winter time (sun angle of 32 degrees).
2) On the site located at the end of James Street, the proposed building will overshadow the
southern property entirely and almost 50% of the basketball play area associated with the
school.
3) On the site located in front of the existing council and senior citizens building, the proposed
building will prevent any solar access to these buildings during the winter months.

3.1.2

Overall intensity of development

1) The stated number of apartments for these sites is between 100 to 110.
2) The site at the end of James Street is approximately 750m2.
3) The indicative footprint shown in the site plan will probably yield 35 apartments based on 7
apartments per floor over 5 floors. This would equate to a density of 465 dwellings per
hectare.
4) This density is many times greater than the pattern of development established in Bassendean
and is even higher than most developments being proposed in suburbs close to the city centre.
5) This is far too excessive for a site in a peri urban location and would even considered too
excessive for any other site in the metropolitan area with the exception of those in or adjacent
to the CBD.
7

6) The resultant plot ratio area for the building at the end of James Street will be approximately
3,150m2 based on an average apartment area of 90m2 which is a standard average used
across Perth at the present time, allowing for a mix of small and large apartments. The plot
ratio therefore equates to approximately 4.0. This building will consequently appear very
bulky by comparison with surrounding buildings.
7) At the rate of 25m2 per parking bay, 35 cars, assuming one car per apartment, will require
875m2 which is greater than the entire site area. These cars will have to be located in a
basement to achieve a yield of 35 apartments. The water table is high at this point therefore
a basement parking area would seem unlikely therefore the yield of 35 apartments would be
unlikely. Perhaps only 28 apartments could be achieved in this building with an entire ground
floor of parking.
8) Given that only 28 apartments could be achieved at the end of James Street, a balance of
between 72 and 82 apartments will be required in the other building if the number of
apartments (100 to 110) is to be achieved.
9) Assuming that ground level will be required for parking this means the building will need to
accommodate 18 to 20 apartments per floor over four floors.
10) This will result in a floor plate of approximately 1,950m2 for 18 apartments or 2,160m2 for 20
apartments, allowing for 90m2 per apartment plus 20% circulation and services.
11) These are extremely large floor plates compared with all surrounding buildings.
12) Car parking requirements will range from 72 to 82 car bays which, at 25m2 per bay will require
and area of between 1,800m2 and 2,050m2. There will be no area remaining for commercial
facilities.

3.1.3

Amenity for apartment residents

1) To achieve 100 to 110 apartments in the building footprints shown, a double loaded
arrangement will be required13.
2) This will mean that at least 50% of apartments will face south and will not receive any direct
sun light at any time of the year between 9.00am and 3.00pm.
3) This lack of sun light is a poor outcome for any resident however for senior citizens, who seem
to be a desired target group to occupy these apartments, this is a very serious problem.
4) Due to the increase in poorly planned apartments in Perth, the state government is now
catching up with other Australian states and introducing environmental planning provisions
which will require developers to minimise south facing apartments. The planning policy
enforcing higher apartment planning standards is imminent which will mean that apartments
like those being proposed by Landcorp will not be possible in the near future.

13

Double loading means planning apartments on either side of a central corridor. See diagram in section 5.0.
8

3.2

Assessment of the BIC reserve precinct against stated objectives

This precinct fails to achieve the following objectives:

Ensure buildings provide a welcoming and
beautiful street interface

The imposition of two five-storey buildings in

the form of modern apartment buildings in a
single storey environment is neither welcoming
nor beautiful.

Preserve Bassendeans cultural and indigenous

heritage

A critical part of Bassendeans cultural heritage

in the town centre lies in its physical character.
Buildings of this scale and bulk will seriously
compromise this character.

Plan for inclusiveness and accessibility the

apartments will offer affordable living and
aged-care options

Few, if any of these apartments will actually be

affordable, other than perhaps the worst ones.
The lack of sun light to at least 50% of
apartments will provide a suboptimal
environment for residents and particularly
senior citizens who spend a great deal of their
day at home.

4.0

Bassendean Oval Precinct

The site is currently used as a football oval for the WAFL. The activity centre planning shows the desire
to build 185 to 240 dwellings in two to three storey buildings along Old Perth Road and up to eight
storey buildings on the corner of West Road and Old Perth Road. The use is primarily residential
however the proposal states that some commercial opportunities at ground level may exist in
buildings at the corner of West and Old Perth Road.

Activity centre proposal

The site as it currently stands showing

actual area for proposed development
9

4.1

Analysis

4.1.1

Overshadowing

1) Proposed 8 storey buildings will permanently overshadow the attached southern-side 3 storey
buildings and associated private open space.
2) This is a very undesirable outcome for the future residents.

4.1.2

On-site parking for 8 storey

1) Target yield for the precinct is between 185 and 240 dwelling units comprising a mixture of
apartments, grouped housing, maisonettes, and terrace housing
2) The concept plan shows approximately 100 low density dwellings
3) The number of apartments will therefore be in the range of 85 to 140
4) The number of cars required for apartments will be a minimum of 85 to 140
5) At a rate of 25m2 per parking bay, this will require between 2,125m2 and 3,500m2
6) The footprints shown for apartment buildings is around 1,800m2
7) At the lower yield of 85 apartments the entire ground floor will be devoted to parking
8) At the upper yield of 140 apartments, two levels of parking will be required
9) Considering that the water table is probably high at this area in Bassendean, it is unlikely
that basement parking will be considered which will impact on desired yields.

4.2

Assessment of the Bassendean Oval precinct against stated objectives

This precinct fails to achieve the following objectives:

Ensure buildings provide a welcoming and
beautiful street interface

An eight storey building with minimal setback

to Old Perth Road fails to provide a beautiful
street interface, given the buildings opposite
are all small single storey houses.

Preserve Bassendeans cultural and indigenous

heritage

The entry experience to Bassendean oval

through heritage gates, will not be preserved
by flanking each side with modern 8 storey
buildings.

Plan for inclusiveness and accessibility the

apartments will offer affordable living and
aged-care options

Few, if any of these apartments in the eight

storey buildings will actually be affordable,
other than perhaps the worst ones.
The lack of sun light to at least 50% of these
apartments will provide a suboptimal
environment for residents and particularly
senior citizens who spend a great deal of their
day at home.

10

5.0

Overall comments

Bassendean is an outlying suburb exhibiting a special character reflecting its location. Most outlying
suburban areas in Australian cities reflect this character which can be described as casual and villagelike. These areas derive their physical sense of place through a number of factors such as lower
densities, abundant open space and large-canopied trees. Levels of community satisfaction and
attachment to others is usually better in these lower density areas 14. Bassendean town centre also
has a special place in the form of the BIC reserve which offers the community good quality passive and
active recreation opportunities.
In order to satisfy state government arbitrary infill target for Bassendean, Landcorp is proposing to
site 400 or so dwellings in the town centre where no undeveloped urban land exists. A five storey
building is planned to go on the BIC reserve and another adjacent the reserve. An eight storey building
is proposed on land at the corner of Wilson Street and Guilford Road. Two 8 storey buildings in
combination with 2-3 storey buildings are planned on the Bassendean Oval site along Old Perth Road.
All of this is proposed in the context of a predominantly single story environment.
Through a community engagement process the following overall vision was established to guide the
planning of the activity centre:
We are a relaxed and family-friendly town that treasures its heritage and creatively embraces
its modern future. Our green spaces, bustling Old Perth Road and people-friendly streets are the
heart and soul of our community. As our town grows it will be strengthened by economic
opportunities for local business and new investment that reflects our lifestyle.
The scale and intensity of development being proposed hardly fits with this vision and the local
business opportunities will be negligible. There is an obvious discord between the vision and the
concept plans which is often the case with government planning projects.
The key issue here is the failure of the concept plan to respect context. The following two overarching
urban planning objectives must be satisfied when attempting to impose new development in existing
areas, particular town centres:
1) Ensure that the distinctive character of the place is reflected in the way the infill
development is proposed; and,
2) Ensure that the infill development responds to and reinforces locally distinctive patterns of
development, landscape and culture15.
The Bassendean activity centre planning in its current form clearly fails on both accounts, with the
exception of some of the low scale development along the eastern and southern edges of the
Bassendean Oval which has an appropriate scale and relationship to the street.

14

In a study of five British cities it was found that generally, social outcomes relating to attachment, satisfaction, safety,
and environment are more positive at lower densities and in less central locations. See Haigh, F. & Ng Chok, H., Harris, P.
(2011). Housing density and health: A review of the literature and Health Impact Assessments. Centre for Health Equity
Training, Research and Evaluation (CHETRE), University of New South Wales: Sydney.
15 See for example: Ian Bentley et al (1985), Responsive Environments A manual for designers, Architectural Press; CABE
Seven Principles of Good Urban Design; and NSW SEPP 6.5
11

The three areas proposed for infill have different problems. The following problems however are
common to all areas or precincts:
1) Failure to reflect the scale, character and land-use patterns of the surrounding areas and
streets;
2) Serious overshadowing;
3) Failure to understand the amount of space required for car parking within apartment buildings
These three common problems arise because of over-densification of each site. This over-densification
become obvious when compared with the existing density coding in Bassendean. The surrounding
land-use patterns have a density ranging from 20 to 60 dwellings per hectare. The proponents propose
a density of between 240 and 370 dwellings per hectare on the Wilson Street site and a staggering
465 dwellings per hectare on the James Street site. Densities on the BIC reserve building and the
Bassendean oval are more difficult to define because the site area is not precise. To put this into an
international perspective, the highest densities permitted in central London vary from 240 to 435
dwellings per hectare and in urban London the permitted range is between 165 to 275 dwellings per
hectare16. Suburban London in similar outlying areas such as Bassendean is far lower again. So it can
be seen that the densities proposed in some areas of the activity centre plan are equal to or higher
than would be acceptable even in central London. These types of high densities in Perth are being
supported by the state government planners who demonstrate no regard for context and the
preservation of amenity. The state planners no longer see planning as a means for preserving and
providing amenity. The aim now is simply to facilitate development and meet infill targets.
Serious overshadowing of adjoining buildings and land is a major problem with the current concept
plan. Good practice in urban planning is to avoid overshadowing nearby buildings so that residents in
the lower buildings can access sun light for good health and warmth during winter months. On the
Wilson Street site, the lower buildings on the south side will be entirely overshadowed in winter which
denies these apartments any opportunity to utilise solar energy.

Principle of building separation and overshadowing

16

See Draft London Plan recommended density levels

12

Landcorp attempting to achieve these extremely high densities by resorting to taller buildings and
relying on double-loaded floor plans. This approach is suboptimal because apartments designed in this
way will achieve little useful cross ventilation and at least 50% of apartments will face south which
offers no opportunity to access sun light17. Buildings adopting a double-loaded planning format also
result in a bulky appearance. Building mass and bulk is controlled through plot ratio. The
developments on the Wilson Street site and the land at the end of James Street have plot ratios in the
order of 3.0 to 4.0 which is three and four times greater than any other building in the surrounding
area. The combination of height and bulkiness will ensure that these buildings will read as anomalies
in the town centre. They will not be harmonious companions with the existing building stock.

Double loaded apartments

Single loaded apartments

Some infill development could occur on the Wilson Street site however its intensity should be far less
than proposed with buildings no higher than three stories. Building apartments so close to Guilford
Road presents public health risks for the occupants, particularly seniors and children, so this should
be reconsidered. Infill on the site at the end of James Street could likewise occur at a far less intensity
with buildings no higher than 3 stories. Infill on the BIC reserve in front of the council building and
senior citizens centre should not occur. Low level town houses and maisonettes around the
Bassendean oval no higher than three storeys could occur provided a maximum number of mature
trees are retained. Eight storey apartments on this site should not occur.
The question needs to be asked, why subject Bassendeans unique town centre to such out-of-scale
buildings simply for an additional 400 dwellings. The overall infill target for Bassendean is 4,200
dwellings so the contribution via infilling the town centre is achieving less than 10% of the target.
There will be little if any employment opportunities because the ground floors of the proposed
building s will be entirely devoted to resident car parking. The proposed developments do not front
the most developed part of the main street (Old Perth Road) so there is only a weak argument to
suggest that these developments will add significant vitality to the main street.
A small amount of infill would be appropriate however it needs to be carried out with respect for the
existing character of the town centre. The community should consider requesting Landcorp to look
closely at the vision statement and devising some level of infill which accords with that statement.
17

See Residential Flat Design Code, prepared by the urban design advisory service, Planning NSW, which sets guidelines
for avoiding these types of suboptimal developments.
13