ENHANCING OUR VILLAGE VIBE

Preston Street Revival – stakeholder consultation summary – Progress ReportFebruary 2019

Contents

1.0 INTRODUCTION 32.0 QUESTIONS AND ANSWERS 5 2.1 What is the Preston Street Revival? 5 2.2 Why does Preston Street need to be ‘revived’? 5 2.3 Who is funding the Preston Street Revival initiative? 6 2.4 Who is behind the Preston Street Revival program? 6 2.5 How is the City of South Perth involved? 6 2.6 Why is the timing of this program so important? 7 2.7 What does ‘public realm’ mean? 7 2.8 Have any development plans been created for the site? 8 2.9 What funding requirements are needed to achieve the goal of enhancing Preston Street’s public realm? 8 2.10 When will the carpark adjacent to the Cygnet Cinema be upgraded? 9 2.11 Will there be adequate parking in future? 10 2.12 Will any new development cater for downsizing? 11 2.13 Is APC building a residential aged care facility? 12 2.14 Are we catering for Youth in Precinct? 12 2.15 What development outcomes interest APC? 13

3.0 THE CYGNET 17 3.1 Will the Cygnet Cinema be demolished? 17 3.2 Will the Cygnet continue to operate as a cinema? 18 3.3 When will the Cygnet Cinema be refurbished? 18

4.0 PLACE VISIONING WORKSHOP 20 4.1 What are some of the insights from the November 20, 2018 Place Visioning Workshop? 20

5.0 STAKEHOLDER ENGAGEMENT 22 AND FEEDBACK 5.1 What communication has been undertaken to promote Preston Street Revival to stakeholders? 22 5.2 Have local business owners been consulted? 23 5.3 What was the purpose of the local 21 business owners event? 23 5.4 What was the feedback from local business owners? 23 5.5 What were the results from the online survey? 25 5.6 What were the responses to the survey questions? 26 5.7 What were the ideas recorded on the postcards? 29

6.0 THE NEXT STEPS 31 6.1 The Vision and Design Workshop 31 6.2 What is the purpose of the Vision and Design Workshop? 31 6.3 What happens after the Vision and Design Workshop? 31

7.0 PLACE BLUEPRINT 32 7.1 What is a Place Blueprint? 32 7.2 What is the purpose of the Preston Street Place Blueprint? 32

8.0 LOCAL DEVELOPMENT PLAN 34 AND SCHEME AMENDMENT 8.1 What is a Local Development Plan (LDP)? 34 8.2 What is a Scheme Amendment? 34 8.3 Why do we need a Scheme Amendment? 35 8.4 Are other landowners part of the Scheme Amendment? 36

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INTRODUCTIONThe stakeholder engagement process known as Preston Street Revival is an initiative of Australian Property Collective (APC). Stakeholders in this process include landowners (residents, investors and developers), tenants, business proprietors and their employees, community groups and government. It’s important that this process recognises and consults all age profiles within all social, ethnic and economic groups within the catchment area.

APC is the project manager for the Cygnet Cinema and adjoining land, with some of its shareholders having a direct investment in the property.

The APC team has extensive property experience and has undertaken three major developments in the precinct:

Pagoda Hotel (112 Melville Parade)

Broadwater Resort Apartments (137 Melville Parade)

Swanview Apartments and Offices (1 Preston Street)

During the pre-sale and establishment phase of the above developments, difficulties were experienced due to the market’s perception of the precinct’s limited business and residential diversity resulting in a lack of general activity and appeal in the area. Notwithstanding this, the area has a quality tavern, supermarket and associated shops and services.

It is acknowledged some stakeholders will question the content of this document as it has been prepared under APC’s management. It is, however, important to note the stakeholder consultation summary (Sections 4 and 5) have been recorded as accurately and authentically as possible by third parties.

The extensive stakeholder engagement, including this progress report, is being undertaken in good faith to allow all stakeholders to understand each other’s needs and aspirations for Preston Street’s future.

APC intends to continue consulting and engaging with stakeholders to attempt to establish common ground and resolve any potential differences of opinion in an open and constructive manner. It is not uncommon in this type of enganement process for everyone’s voice not to be heard and objectives to be not met.

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Attendees at our Place Visioning Workshop indicated their preference for these images as a representation of ‘built form’

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Vision moodboard – built form

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QUESTIONS AND ANSWERS

2.1 What is the Preston Street Revival?The Preston Street Revival is a stakeholder consultation initiative launched in October 2018. The program recognises that while Preston Street enjoys an exceptional geographic location, its sub-standard aesthetic and lack of amenities and facilities make it unattractive for many people, particularly young professionals, to choose to live and visit here and enjoy its entertainment, leisure and commercial offerings.

The purpose of this program is to encourage local residents, business owners and other interested parties to provide feedback, ideas and opinions on ways Preston Street can be reinvigorated into a thriving main street of attractive places and successful local businesses supported by a whole-of-life community.

The stakeholder consultation is the first step in identifying what amenities, facilities and infrastructure are needed to fulfill a new vision for Preston Street as a place locals and visitors love.

2.2 Why does Preston Street need to be ‘revived’?Historically, Preston Street and its direct connection to Como Beach made it a sought-after destination for holidays, entertainment and commerce. Como Beach was vibrant, diverse and had a variety of thriving local businesses. The construction of the Kwinana Freeway in the 1950s created a significant barrier between Preston Street and the Swan River and, since then, Preston Street has been in decline. From an aesthetic perspective, today Preston Street is very much a patchwork of architectural styles and business types, with limited landscaping, pedestrian accessibility and a lack of parking compounded by poor vehicle access that restricts trade.

While the Preston Street IGA, Karalee Tavern and their associated businesses appear to trade well, the precinct has ongoing issues with retail and office space vacancies, with some retailers under stress due to the area’s limited ability to attract a constant flow of locals and visitors – of diverse age profiles – to support their businesses. The most recent example of this is the loss of the ice cream shop, with others potentially closing their businesses once their leases expire.

Significant change and investment must occur to curb vacancies and attract more people willing to spend time and money in the area, including families, retirees and young adults. The business proprietors and their employees are important stakeholders who need to be supported.

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2.3 Who is funding the Preston Street Revival initiative?This initiative is being funded by the owners of the Cygnet Cinema and adjoining sites.

2.4 Who is behind the Preston Street Revival program?

The Stiles Family, who operate Grand Cinemas, have owned the Cygnet Cinema and adjoining land since 1936 and have diligently but unsuccessfully undertaken many development concepts with third parties.

The commercial difficulties of starting a significant project in the precinct has meant the adjoining land has been vacant for many years, with the Cygnet Cinema needing a major refurbishment. This land, including the Cygnet Cinema, was recently sold to a group of investors brought together by APC. These investors include local property and business owners together with the Stiles Family, Como residents and their friends who collectively share a relationship with the area as their home, shopping hub, place to spend time on weekends or do business.

This same group has purchased two adjoining lots fronting Eric Street, which connects through to the Cygnet Cinema site. Preston Street Revival is being led by this group and APC – with all having a desire to see Preston Street become an attractive and thriving precinct in the future.

2.5 How is the City of South Perth involved?While the City is aware of the Preston Street Revival initiative, they are not formally involved. The City is currently dealing with major strategic planning issues within the Mends Street and Canning Bridge precincts, therefore they have limited resources available for undertaking the stakeholder consultation process for Preston Street. Local authorities typically support a stakeholder engagement process and APC can confirm that the City is being regularly updated. The City has raised concerns that the Preston Street Revival process may lift stakeholder expectations that capital works and improvements may occur and have requested that APC manage stakeholder perceptions that these works may eventuate in the short term.

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2.6 Why is the timing of this program so important?The timing of this initiative is opportune as the City and the State Government are in the process of finalising the City’s Draft Local Planning Strategy (LPS) document. This document serves to begin the process for the City’s adoption of a new Town Planning Scheme - namely Scheme 7.

The entire City of South Perth will be undergoing a review, especially with respect to the State Government’s inner city population targets as outlined in Directions 2031. This process will take three to four years to complete. Preston Street will continue to suffer during this time which is why we are working hard to set a new direction and spark investment and revitalisation much sooner.

The draft LPS, following the required stakeholder consultation, noted Preston Street is “an activity centre providing scope for higher intensity residential and mixed-use development, with increased non-residential floor space to meet future demand.” The process for the City’s transition from Scheme 6 to Scheme 7 has commenced and will include increased height and density in the area. The Preston Street Revival initiative is allocating significant resources to the City’s Scheme Amendment program and will hopefully facilitate a better outcome for Preston Street stakeholders.

2.7 What does ‘public realm’ mean?Public realm describes spaces between and around buildings that are accessible to members of a community. Typically, these spaces are owned by everyone and can include streets, pedestrian walkways, parks, squares, gardens, seating areas and other outdoor spaces. Sometimes ‘public realm’ can be situated on privately owned land provided it is easily accessible by all members of the community.

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2.8 Have any development plans been created for the site?Yes. Before acquiring any land for development, feasibility plans are produced for assessment by valuers and local agents. However, these plans relate to acquisition assessment and have no relevance to development outcomes. A review of Sections 4 and 5 of this document will also demonstrate a substantial benefit being significant market research data that serves to determine product needs to allow a development plan to be prepared.

It is critical that before creating any plans for a development that an assessment of improvements to an area’s public realm is undertaken. APC has appointed landscape, traffic, environment and sustainability consultants to prepare a public realm plan for discussion with stakeholders. To garner a better understanding of what needs to happen to improve the Preston Street precinct, all of these consultants were present at the November 20, 2018 workshop and have reviewed all stakeholder input.

In addition to the above, height and massing concepts will be presented to stakeholders to illustrate design concepts that could feasibly be built on the site. The height and massing plans do not represent the proposed development but seek to demonstrate distinct built form styles to allow APC to understand stakeholder preferences.

2.9 What funding requirements are needed to achieve the goal of enhancing Preston Street’s public realm?The City does not currently have any funds, nor does the City foresee having any funds in the near future, to assist with enhancing Preston Street’s public realm. Preston Street’s existing population and business base is small resulting in the City collecting minimal rates when compared to similar geographic locations. As the precinct generates low income it must be recognised that it is difficult to provide Preston Street with greater pooled resources. The City’s immediate focus is Mends Street, Manning Road, Welwyn Avenue and Angelo Street.

The City has a medium to long term planning process for projects of this scale and needs to assess the entire need of all stakeholders, not just those who live near or frequent Preston Street. Therefore, the onus is on land owners and their potential developments to provide funding to improve the public realm of Preston Street before the City will. Pursuing funding assistance from the State and Federal Government is extremely competitive and time consuming (often with limited success) if the area is considered an established, ‘well-to-do’ suburb. With this in mind, it needs to be acknowledged that developer contributions will be required to kick-start improvements to the public realm.

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2.10 When will the carpark adjacent to the Cygnet Cinema be upgraded?Stakeholders have concerns about the carpark constructed on the vacant land adjacent to the Cygnet Cinema. The Cygnet Cinema was constructed in 1936 when the town planning scheme did not require parking and therefore all old buildings have no retrospective requirement to upgrade or provide parking.

The carpark adjacent to the Cygnet Cinema was constructed as an initiative of the City to overcome a critical shortage of parking in the precinct and was not constructed by the previous owners who only consented to temporary use of their land. No agreement exists now with the City and the current landowners for the carpark and its maintenance. Of note, employees of surrounding offices and local business patrons are the highest users of parking during the day.

Stakeholders have concerns regarding drainage, lighting and the quality of the car parking surface. The City has no funds available to rectify the carpark nor do they believe it is their responsibility. A review of this amenity is being undertaken due to drainage and safety concerns. APC recently upgraded the Acrod parking at the front of Cygnet Cinema as this is the landowner’s responsibility.

Until the stakeholder consultation and the City’s approval process are concluded, conducting works on the existing public carpark is a difficult choice as no economic benefit exists for the current landowners as any upgrades will only have a short term use.

Many maintenance and refurbishment issues exist for the Cygnet Cinema and its surrounds. APC is hoping stakeholders encourage the the City to fast-track agreed changes for the area to give some certainty, encouraging investment, maintenance and revitalisation.

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2.11 Will there be adequate parking in future?Stakeholders have told APC they want any new development to include basement parking to enable Preston Street to become more pedestrian-friendly and more easily accessible by the aged and disabled. This is a view shared by APC as improved parking and easy and safe pedestrian flows underwrite the performance of businesses in any precinct.

Following stakeholder feedback and City endorsements of the built form concepts, the feasibility stage commences. At this time, height, density and the type of use within any buildings are assessed. The development’s use-mix is controlled by the number of parking bays required within the Town Planning Scheme for varying uses. The architect and developers apply the parking bay requirements to the Scheme’s set height and density parameters and typically cut back on commercial and retail uses in favour of apartments. This is due to the higher parking requirements of commercial and retail operations.

APC’s opinion is that the Town Planning Scheme needs to encourage commercial and retail activities in the precinct, especially during mid-week working hours, and should consider incentives to achieve this long term stakeholder benefit of diversity. Without a recovery of the parking impost, new developments with diverse uses are simply not feasible and will not be supported by financial institutions. Different methods available to overcome this cost impost can include a reasonable increase in height and density and/or approval of a local government rate relief arrangement, to name a few.

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2.12 Will any new development cater for downsizing?A core APC business ethos is Ageing in Place and Whole-of-Life Communities

From a philosophical perspective, APC believes it is critical that residents have the opportunity to ‘age in place’. This means as residents age they should be able to spend their remaining years in a place they are familiar with, close to family and friends with vibrant surrounding facilities. APC and the landowners have a direct interest in this as they are either residents and business proprietors who do not want to be forced to leave the precinct.

To achieve this, design guidelines must be agreed that ensure all future infrastructure allows for varying ability and ages. In particular, the requirement that any apartments are built to conform to a concept promoted by Liveable Housing Australia – a partnership between government, industry, consumer groups and the community. Specifically, Liveable Housing residences are designed with accessibility features that make them suitable for families with young children, people with temporary injuries, ageing and disabled people and their families/carers.

Developments need to provide for a diversity of ability, age and affordability.

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2.13 Is APC building a residential aged care facility?The land owners of the Cygnet Cinema and adjoining land will not prepare any development plans until a Scheme Amendment has been endorsed by stakeholders.

Notwithstanding the above, APC has prepared plans to secure heritage approvals for an entertainment precinct surrounding the Cygnet to allow refurbishment works on the cinema to commence as soon as possible. No other development uses are being tested and it is unlikely a traditional residential aged care facility will be built on Preston Street. APC is seeking Scheme Amendments to ensure any new residential property is capable of facilitating home care services to allow ageing in precinct.

The Federal Government is underway with the deregulation of the aged care sector and it is envisaged this will occur in the next three to five years. APC’s opinion is that deregulation will result in the old residential aged care model becoming ineffective. The Royal Commission Into Aged Care will identify the inherent problems of the aged care system developed in Australia, which APC and others believe is moving towards the building of specialised clinics in precincts to provide aged care services such as home care, respite, mental health monitoring, wellness checks and specialised dementia care.

The above home care and clinics could be classified as aged care services requiring a uniform zoning category of aged care for all land along Preston Street and Mary Street. A potential benefit of this could be the creation of specialised medical services in the area. This could also assist the precinct’s business proprietors.

2.14 Are we catering for Youth in Precinct? Children and young people generally do not participate in stakeholder engagement processes to the level that older stakeholders do. This does not mean they should be ignored, especially because they will inherit Preston Street in the future. It is important to accommodate their values and needs when thinking about the spaces, developments and businesses built in future. APC will continue to seek their input on ideas and needs, as we can learn a lot from the younger generation.

When speaking with young people they have real concerns about sustainability, the environment and, as with ageing stakeholders, they too want to continue to live within the village they grew up in. We need to ensure that future developments provide affordable housing and recreational opportunities for a younger adult lifestyle.

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2.15 What development outcomes interest APC?In addition to APC’s ethos for a whole of life community, APC would like stakeholders to consider the following:

Diversity of Land Uses

The best villages have diversity.

The construction of apartments is typically easier than retail, offices and specialised commercial uses like tourism, medical services, independent living and student accommodation. These projects, however, provide more vibrancy for longer hours to support business. If a village is dominated by apartments whilst the majority of the locals are at work or school, businesses suffer or temporarily close due to limited trade.

Performance incentives are essential to encourage landowners to underwrite alternative or new uses within an area. New accommodation is essential to meet inner city density targets but needs to be balanced as we don’t want an area dominated by apartments. This is seen in reverse with the CBD and West Perth, which became too dependent on offices and specialised commercial uses resulting in empty streets and closed businesses after normal trading hours. The City of Perth is now supporting the development of more apartments to alleviate this.

Built Form

Unfortunately height has become the focus issue with stakeholders.

Increased density to meet inner city population targets cannot occur without height which is essential to bring enough people to live or work in an area so that local businesses can thrive. While height is essential for density, the new State Planning Policy for improved residential design codes (Design WA) has just been introduced. This initiative will ensure that future buildings, which will incorporate increased height, are of a high quality and developed with local stakeholder needs and values in mind. APC supports a maximum height limit concept on the basis that it is both economical and in keeping with Design WA guidelines.

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In addition to height, APC believes future developments should incorporate initiatives that promote:

Liveable Housing (Ageing in Place) Strong public realm interface (active grounds, community gathering spaces, etc.) Vehicle access, car and bicycle parking Solar and daylight access, together with natural ventilation Private open space and balconies Circulation, common areas and storage Diverse dwelling mix with affordable options Sympathetic façades and roof design Energy and water efficiency together with waste management – sustainability The impact of external and internal noise Visual privacy Landscaping, tree canopy and deep soil zones (for large trees next to and on buildings)

Sustainability

Possibly the best definition of sustainability is that it simply makes a place BETTER.

Stakeholders and APC believe sustainability is critical and has appointed Emerge Associates - an experienced sustainability consultanting firm - who will present at future stakeholder engagements. Emerge has been working with the City and stakeholders to ascertain what the key sustainability issues are and how to ensure Preston Street and its developments feature initiatives that include:

Creation of a whole of life village Creation of a legacy for future generations Full accessibility and affordability for the whole community Connection with local heritage and a strengthening of Preston Street’s identity Consideration of what “comes in” and “goes out” Care about how we use energy and water Respect for our ecology and bring nature in Making it easy to get around no matter your ability – by more than just a car Enabling us to be active and connected Attracting a diverse, well-supported and viable economy

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Economic Development Plan (EDP)

An EDP recognises the connection between economic development and the quality of life within a community. Any future development must be and must remain economically feasible if it is to occur.

Economic developments create improvements that allow, amongst other things, the collection of rates to fund improvements and maintenance of an area. Therefore, quality future developments are community investments and should be encouraged. Lack of developments in Preston Street over the years have resulted in Preston Street and Como Beach losing their ability to command attention for new investment.

An EDP is based on participants achieving a middle ground, which is the overall objective of the Preston Street Revival. The Place Blueprint that will follow will identify the scale of investment to be undertaken, which will correspond to the level of economic development allowed by stakeholders. If stakeholders want more facilities, they will require more infrastructure development to fund these works.

The EDP process also assists in defining what stakeholders want to see in the village. These could include:

Entertainment options for all ages and social profiles An upgraded supermarket and tavern Ageing in Place services such as specialised medical and health providers Government and commercial offices Student accommodation Indigenous ranger tourism opportunities at Como Beach and Milyu Reserve

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Attendees at our Place Visioning Workshop indicated their preference for these images as a representation of ’streetscapes and connections’

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Vision moodboard – streetscapes and connections

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THE CYGNET

3.1 Will the Cygnet Cinema be demolished?No. The Cygnet Cinema is protected from demolition by the Heritage of Western Australia Act 1990 (the Act). The Act, however, does not have legislative controls to enforce the refurbishment, conservation or operation of a listed building, which is why many heritage buildings are in disrepair and closed.

As an incentive for conservation protection under the Act, the Act provides local authorities with the power to relax development controls set out in its Town Planning Scheme. Such incentives include height and density, which helps to improve the development returns to fund restoration works and ensure continuous use of the place.

While restored heritage buildings provide a significant cultural value, their market value on completion will be below cost as the building and its business on completion is typically not efficient in today’s market. An example being the Cygnet’s 400 seats and high auditorium, which doesn’t reflect today’s mass release of movies necessitating multiple screens with 80 to 120 seats. Alternative uses are being explored such as live shows and theatrical performances, however, the scale of the venue will always limit profitable operations after refurbishment.

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3.2 Will the Cygnet continue to operate as a cinema?The intent of the landowners and Grand Cinemas is to ensure the operation of the cinema continues, necessitating additional screens to subsidise the operational and maintenance cost of the Cygnet. Cinemas have the potential to attract a diverse range of patrons to a precinct, however, their success is dependent on the location being seen as a destination centre.

If the community wants to enjoy the Cygnet and reinstate the cultural entertainment history of Preston Street and Como Beach, they need to endorse Preston Street as a diverse and vibrant village hub. Without strong endorsement of the entertainment precinct ethos, the concept of new cinemas and restoration of the Cygnet is problematic.

Unfortunately, the Cygnet needs extensive refurbishment and its configuration of 400 seats will always mean the business, on a stand-alone basis, cannot be operated economically. The current landowners and Grand Cinemas are underwriting the Cygnet’s operations during the Preston Street Revival process. These arrangements expire on November 20, 2020 at which time the cinema will close for what we all hope is only a refurbishment.

3.3 When will the Cygnet Cinema be refurbished?APC has completed an extensive structural and operational review of the Cygnet Cinema for the Department of Planning Lands and Heritage (DLPH) to allow a Heritage Impact Statement (HIS) to be lodged in April 2019. The review process included a structural engineering review of the building together with an operational and maintenance review. This review has been considered by a quantity surveyor who has estimated the cost of refurbishment, without any improvements, as being approximately $2M.

The HIS seeks approval for a refurbishment program and potential operational changes for the existing building. Possible improvements to allow for operational changes include new screens, food and beverage operations and rear extensions to the stage to facilitate both cinema and live entertainment.

Heritage works and the above improvements cannot commence until a Scheme Amendment for the site is endorsed by stakeholders, the City and DLPH – typically a two-year process. Notwithstanding this, APC believes concepts presented within the HIS are in accordance with DLPH policy guidelines. Therefore, if stakeholders approve the concepts quickly and encourage the City to fast-track any required amendments – planning for required works to create an entertainment hub and refurbish the Cygnet can commence.

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Attendees at our Place Visioning Workshop indicated their preference for these images as a representation of ‘main street life’

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Vision moodboard – main street life

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PLACE VISIONING WORKSHOP

4.1 What are some of the insights from the November 20, 2018 Place Visioning Workshop?On November 20, the Preston Street Revival Place Visioning Workshop was held at the John McGrath Pavilion in South Perth. Facilitated by element, this was a very well attended event, with over 70 local residents, business owners, community representatives and other stakeholders participating in an informative, interactive and energetic meeting. The following summary outlines direct feedback received from participants.

In general, participants shared their strong connection to the area and how they value its village vibe, wanting this retained in any ‘revival.’

While some community members had an aversion to any new buildings above two to three storeys (noise, views, traffic, etc.), some are supportive of new developments, including entertainment, commercial and residential options. Many recognise the need to develop on vacant land and upgrade ‘dated’ buildings that currently don’t add to street life or the area’s overall vibrancy.

In general, participants wanted to see high quality developments that attract people to live in the area (not investors/vacant apartments) and add to the street’s atmosphere with active ground floors. There is strong demand for new developments to be of high quality architectural merit (statement buildings, mix of old and new) and sustainable (energy, water, waste, green spaces and so on). Some participants noted they would be keen to purchase in future developments. Ageing in Place as a proposition is supported by many of those entering their retirement years. Key view corridors should be retained where possible.

Parking and traffic were seen as keen issues that require resolution. The perceived lack of sufficient parking in the area is exacerbated by the poor layout, design and parking management of the precinct’s carparks. Adding to this, while many people would like to see more parking, they don’t want it to dominate the streetscape. Undercroft or sleeved parking would be well supported.

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The streetscape requires more greenery – median and verge trees and underplanting with a focus on natives and flowering species – and more activity in the form of alfresco dining and community gathering spaces – piazza, small park, children’s playground. Some recorded their desire for a stronger visual/physical connection to Como Beach and the Como Jetty.

The current niche and independent business mix is valued, however, a larger choice of cafés, restaurants and specialty shops (e.g. giftware, book shops, etc.) are in demand, especially operators who open into the evenings and throughout the week and weekends. A rooftop bar (e.g. connected to the Cygnet) with river and sunset views would be well received. Small, independent, quirky bars, cafes and restaurants are preferred over larger, chain establishments.

The Cygnet is seen as the ‘gem’ of Preston Street. Many people are pleased to hear the intent is for this complex to be retained as a functioning cinema and recognise the need to expand its uses to enhance its viability. Live entertainment, extra cinemas, an outdoor space (that considers/addresses noise impacts) and complementary uses (food and beverage, etc.) were mentioned as suitable and viable additions. The Cygnet’s architectural style and visual appearance is also highly valued by the local community for the character it adds and any development should respect this.

A large area of discussion was community activities and events, with many people seeking out things to bring the community together. Specific ideas included farmers markets, night food truck markets and an annual Preston Street Festival. Consideration should be given to closing the street periodically.

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STAKEHOLDER ENGAGEMENT AND FEEDBACK

5.1 What communication has been undertaken to promote Preston Street Revival to stakeholders? Website

Preston Street Revival’s dedicated website (www.prestonstreetrevival.com.au) has been created to:

Explain details of the stakeholder consultation initiative Outline a brief history of the precinct Showcase local businesses Gather feedback through surveys Provide answers to frequently asked questions Encourage people to register for Preston Street Revival workshops

Advertising

To increase awareness of the program and to invite people to attend stakeholder consultation workshops, a number of advertisements have been placed in the Southern Gazette newspaper.

Postcards and posters

Preston Street Revival postcards were designed to invite Como locals to write down their ideas on ways the precinct can be improved and to then place completed postcards in the boxes provided at the Preston Street IGA, The Karalee and the Cygnet Cinema. These postcards were distributed to all residents in Como via Australia Post and hand delivered to local schools, businesses and sporting centres. Posters have also been produced for placement in the windows of local businesses.

Social media

Facebook and Instagram pages have been created to encourage open communication about the Preston Street Revival program, with posts made on a daily basis. The ideas provided by Como locals on their completed postcards are the core of social media communications, with those ideas being shared with Facebook and Instagram ‘followers’ to encourage broader feedback and discussion.

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5.2 Have local business owners been consulted?Yes. In early November, a local business owners workshop was held at Fresch Restaurant in Como.

5.3 What was the purpose of the local business owners event?To introduce local business owners to the Preston Street Revival concept and to begin the discussion, from their perspectives, about a broad range of issues including how more people can be attracted to the precinct to better support local operators.

5.4 What was the feedback from local business owners?The key areas of discussion during this workshop are outlined below, with each point reflecting direct feedback from participants:

What types of businesses are missing? What events and activities would make you visit? What festivals and celebrations would you like to see?

Pop-up bars, 24-hour food outlets, more restaurants to attract people from out of area

Restaurants/cafés, alfresco dining, rooftop bars – small bar with music at the new Cygnet noted as a start

Community/convenience uses – medical, dentist, supermarket, hairdresser/beauty

Other uses: trendy barber and coffee shop (e.g. Short Black & Sides), better bakery, more fashion stores

Uses that attract younger people – well positioned to capitalise on student population

Consideration should be given to offices to bolster daytime economy

Preston Street Festival, more CoSP-held events

Need regular opening hours – open longer/more

‘If you want a community you need the butcher, baker, doctor, dentist, etc, so people live and play locally!’

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Streetscapes and connections

What types of trees and plants should be planted? What about seating, lighting, public art? Where could a small town square go as a place for community celebrations and activities? How do we better manage parking and traffic?

Parking – big problem compounded by no parking management

Better wayfinding signage needed – encourage people to stop and explore the area

Jetty and bridge; how to strengthen connections from Preston Street

No Plane trees, more native trees

Children’s playground

Celebrate history of the area, e.g. East Perth – nice to walk around

Town square – family friendly – ‘The Mezz’ in Mt Hawthorn

Whitfords Piazza an example: cinema, dining – high-end

Built form and uses

What does Preston Street need more of? Apartments, offices, shops? All of these?

Development/additional cinemas will draw activity to the street

Consider apartments to increase the area’s population. ‘That will give the area a buzz!’

‘More apartments to bring vibrancy/people’

Preston Street needs more things to attract people to support local businesses

‘Ageing in place’ well supported

Maintenance of shops/shopfronts an issue – need to be modernised

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Community, culture and heritage

What do you think makes Preston Street special? What stories do you know about the area? Who are some interesting people we could talk to?

Como has an amazingly diverse community (age and ethnicity). Need to identify it and plan events that will bring these groups and ages together to celebrate their community and diversity – pop-ups, crafts, done on a regular basis

Additional cinemas incorporating heritage/complementing existing auditorium – will increase diversity of product and audiences, flowing on to complementary businesses

Astor noted as a destination in Mt Lawley

Preston Street used to be known for fashion

5.5 What were the results from the online survey?104 responses were recorded with most from local residents who have lived in the area for more than 10 years. Most respondents are keen to stay involved in the initiative.

I am interested in the area

I own/work at a local business

N/A

5-9 years Yes

No

1-4 years

Less than 1 year

10 years +

I am a local resident

Connection to area Length of time in area Interested in keeping involved

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5.6 What were the responses to the survey questions?What do you value most about Preston Street? What aspects should be enhanced/celebrated during its revitalisation?

Existing mix of independent shops – butcher, post office, daytime cafes, restaurants

Karalee

IGA

Cygnet Theatre

Proximity to home

Country and city mix

Access to river

What’s missing from Preston Street that would help to attract people and activity to the area? This could be certain businesses, shops, events, greenery, art, heritage or something else.

Greenery – street trees and plants, including along the median strip

Small bars, beer garden

Alfresco dining options

Community gathering spaces

Better variety of shops – more restaurants, gift shops, evening economy

Quality architecture – honour the heritage, upgrade ‘drab’ buildings

Parking – quantity and better layout

Events – markets, festivals, music and comedy, close off street periodically

Art and culture

Children’s playground

Variety of housing – attract people, support businesses

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If you had to fix one aspect of the Preston Street area, what would it be?

Parking quantity and management of usage hours Parking layout (especially IGA and opposite corner) – away from street, easier to manoeuvre, deter

theatre-goers from parking in IGA carpark Traffic calming – slow speeds, pedestrian friendly More greenery Public spaces – community gathering space, small park, play area Seating – benches, shaded Better variety of shops Street lighting – safety/amenity Pedestrian access to retail Better access to Como Beach

Are there any places around Perth, Australia or the world that are similar to Preston Street that we could look to for inspiration?

PERTH

Oxford Street, Leederville Beaufort Street, Mount Lawley Ardross Street, Applecross Angelo Street, South Perth Scarborough Beach Road, Mount Hawthorn Whatley Crescent, Maylands Rokeby Road, Subiaco Beaufort Street night markets

AUSTRALIA

Brunswick, Collingwood, St Kilda, Yarraville – Melbourne Double Bay, Paddington – Sydney Jetty Road, Brighton – Adelaide

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The Cygnet Theatre is the jewel of Preston Street. A Conservation Management Plan has been developed to ensure it is protected and enhanced. Opportunities will be explored to ensure it can continue to operate as a cinema well into the future. What do you think the Cygnet could do to attract more people?

Preserve character as much as possible More cinemas/screens Events – movie nights, mums and bubs, fundraisers, film festivals Other events – comedy nights, performances, music concerts, open mic nights Better range of movies – appeal to younger demographic Better parking Outdoor movies/picture garden – note: neighbours’ concern about noise impacts Add complementary uses – small bar/café/jazz bar Cross-promotion deals with surrounding businesses (meals, ice cream, etc.) More modern/comfortable seating

Do you have any other comments?

Appreciative of project and opportunity to contribute Wary of overdevelopment on Eric Street – traffic, privacy impacts Keen not to lose ‘village vibe’ with over development Architecture requires close attention Como Beach/Jetty – don’t exclude opportunity to revitalise (including a ferry) Respect and celebrate Aboriginal heritage as well as European heritage Fix the parking – quantity and layout Community events – close off street periodically

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5.7 What were the ideas recorded on the postcards?69 postcards have been collected through to February 2019. Major insights include:

Main Street Life – businesses, activities, events Small business mix – interesting, unique, more affordable (boutiques, ice cream shop, convenience) More cafes – open until evening More bars – small, rooftop at Karalee Events – farmers markets, food trucks, close off street periodically (street party), Preston Street

Festival, Oktoberfest Live music

Streetscapes and Connections Make street more pedestrian friendly Alfresco dining Small park/piazza Greenery – plantings along street Street fairy lights Parking – more quantity and better layout – especially IGA and disabled access Ferry to South Perth Bike racks More seating More activity at Como Beach/Comer Reserve – fishing, water ski, BBQ, better connection

Built Form

Raised plaza for sunset views Rooftop bars/tower for sunset views Apartments – max 4 to 5 storeys Underground/sleeved parking Hotel Provide awnings over footpaths Upgrade Jetty, build over/sink Kwinana Freeway

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Culture, Community and Heritage

Maintain Cygnet Cinema but expand entertainment options, better advertising of offer Install a pipe organ in Cygnet Theatre Dance groups/student groups practice/use Cygnet Cinema Heritage – historical photos outside relevant buildings, heritage walks, indigenous connection Buy Local card – membership card for local businesses Public art Public wi-fi Community garden Family friendly design

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THE NEXT STEPS

6.1 The Vision and Design WorkshopOn February 27, 2019 between 6.00pm and 8.30pm, a Vision and Design Workshop will be facilitated by element at the John McGrath Pavilion in South Perth. Register to attend at www.prestonstreetrevival.com.au

6.2 What is the purpose of the Vision and Design Workshop?To summarise the stakeholder engagement process to date and seek additional feedback on new concepts to assist in the development of a vision for Preston Street’s future. Concepts, while not being final plans or recommendations, will include public realm design, built form sustainability and development usage relating to the Cygnet Cinema and surrounding landholdings.

6.3 What happens after the Vision and Design Workshop?Once the outcomes of this workshop have been collated with the insights gained from the November 20 Place Visioning Workshop, the Preston Street Place Blueprint will be produced and distributed to stakeholders for comment.

6.0

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PLACE BLUEPRINT

7.1 What is a Place Blueprint?A Place Blueprint is a comprehensive document that serves to communicate the vision, strategic direction and intent for a place or project. Its primary purpose is to align stakeholders – community, regulatory and internal audiences – around the higher order place vision, to which planning, design and development responds.

For Preston Street, the Place Blueprint will provide direction for the statutory planning processes of the Local Development Plan (LDP) and Scheme Amendment as it will be informed by stakeholder engagement around the area’s revitalisation and development potential.

7.2 What is the purpose of the Preston Street Place Blueprint? To set out clear principles and objectives for the precinct’s revival that both reflect stakeholder

aspirations and align with any development intentions/potential.

To detail Preston Street’s narrative and vision for its future evolution, ensuring its history, character and unique identity are well understood.

To incorporate a detailed precinct vision plan, supported by reference imagery to graphically illustrate development intent across:

Land use (building envelopes, zoning, setbacks, etc.)

Urban design (material palette, typologies, solar access, sight lines, etc.)

Transport (access and egress, parking, end of trip facilities, etc.)

Public realm (landscaping, seating, lighting, gathering spaces etc.)

7.0

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To detail supporting development principles which align with stakeholder insights and higher order planning frameworks in areas including:

Sustainability (waste management, water conservation, energy efficiency, etc.) Economic development (business mix, promotions, marketing, etc.) Community development (whole-of-life living, events and activation strategies, etc.) Partnerships and governance (across CoSP, local businesses, residents and stakeholder groups,

formation of Town Team action group, etc.)

To establish a framework for implementation and measurement, including success factors and performance indicators (short, medium and long term) to guide redevelopment across the precinct.

Following stakeholder engagement of the above, a Local Development Plan (LDP) and Scheme Amendment will be prepared for the precinct. While the Preston Street Place Blueprint will not be a legal or formally endorsed planning instrument, the document is intended to be adopted by the City so that it can better ensure future development applications are adapted and approved in accordance with the vision and aspirations of stakeholders. The document will work in tandem with the LDP and Scheme Amendment to enhance the approvals process for any subsequent Development Application.

The Preston Street Place Blueprint will also provide details of an EDP. An EDP recognises the connection between economic development and the quality of life within a community.

Specifically, details relating to the Preston Street EDP will include:

Establishment a baseline target for upgrades and improvements to the precinct

Summary of an economic plan including estimated costs, key milestones, timeframes and funding options

An example of poor economic planning was the construction of the Kwinana Freeway which was undertaken without any consideration whatsoever for the loss of economic benefits to Preston Street, Como Beach and surrounds. At the time, a fund should have been established to support the local area during this economic and environmental change together with a State Goverment commitment to continually contribute to maintenance of and improvements to the Como Foreshore and Como Jetty.

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LOCAL DEVELOPMENT PLAN AND SCHEME AMENDMENT

8.1 What is a Local Development Plan (LDP)?An LDP is a planning document that sets out the detailed provisions for future development including heights, setbacks, specific access arrangements and all variations to the Residential Planning Codes and City Policies that apply to the land covered by an LDP.

The purpose of the LDP is to provide for the statutory implementation of the Preston Street Place Blueprint and cannot occur until after the Scheme Amendment has been endorsed.

8.2 What is a Scheme Amendment?Before enacting a Scheme Amendment, the City must ensure the amendment has appropriate planning justification and is not an attempt to simply circumvent existing planning requirements to gain a development advantage. For this reason Scheme Amendments need to be in accordance with community expectations, justifiable and typically encompass benefits for more than a specific development site.

The process for the amendment of a scheme is: City’s resolution to amend the scheme after advertising and consultation Environmental Protection Authority (EPA) consent to advertise Advertising of the Scheme Amendment for public comment Consideration of submissions generated from the advertising process and if agreed adopt the amendment with or without changes. The City can also elect not to proceed.

The timeline for a Scheme Amendment will vary depending on stakeholder support and the process can take from 18 months to two years to be completed. Until a Scheme Amendment is adopted, a development application for a new building cannot occur.

8.0

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8.3 Why do we need a Scheme Amendment?The City currently utilises Town Planning Scheme No. 6 (Scheme 6) formally adopted back in 2003 to control and manage the City’s land use. The City has a Local Planning Strategy (LPS) to guide the preparation of its new Scheme No. 7 (Scheme 7) for the entire City.

Scheme 6, in particular the Preston Street changes, were developed in 1998 as part of the redevelopment process for 1 Preston Street, Como, which was developed by associates of APC. Preston Street has planning policies that are 20 years old and in APC’s opinion do not reflect current best practice or necessary requirements or incentives for high quality, performance-based developments. In particular, the recently released State Planning Policy for residential design codes (Design WA) seeks to create better inner suburban communities.

Design WA has guidelines for ageing in place, sustainability, dwelling mix, storage, waste management, energy efficiency, solar and daylight access, cross ventilation, public domain interface and quality architectural design to name just a few.

The revival of Preston Street, including high quality new developments, will not occur within the current planning policies of Scheme 6 as it does not reflect current economic pressures, community values or development expectations. Until a Scheme Amendment is undertaken, the area will continue to lose its vibrancy and stakeholder offerings.

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8.4 Are other landowners part of the Scheme Amendment? Prior to APC acquiring the site, other landowners in Preston Street and Mary Street were preparing to undertake a Scheme Amendment. These landowners agreed to delay their submission to allow APC to undertake the Preston Street Revival stakeholder engagement process. These landowners, which include the Burnett family who own Como Centre (IGA, Karalee, etc.), have been very supportive and provided significant input into the process.

The approach of the other landowners has been very conducive to an effective and integrated outcome, which extends from the Burnett family’s long and supportive history in the area. It is extremely pleasing to note that both the Stiles and Burnett families plan to continue their relationship with Preston Street - a relationship with a history of nearly 100 years!

In addition to the above, APC has invited other landowners to participate in the Scheme Amendment process, without cost. Sites owned by adjoining landowners will form part of the future amendments within Scheme 7. Scheme 7 will affect all City properties but these changes will take some time. Therefore, adjoining landowners will benefit if they elect to participate in the changes earlier.

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