EAST Rockingham could soon be home to Australia's first metropolitan waste-to-energy facility, after the proposed project for the industrial suburb in Perth's south received environmental approval from WA Environment Minister, Albert Jacob.
PLANS to create one of Australia's best beachfront destinations have moved ahead after the release this week of the draft Scarborough Master Plan, which provides the framework for a $57.4 million redevelopment and identifies opportunities for new housing and entertainment and leisure facilities.
PERTH Lord Mayor Lisa Scaffidi has urged the State Government to be bold in its proposed legislative changes to expand its boundaries, saying the reforms represent a one-in-100-year opportunity to shape a stronger capital city and the government must get it right.
THE West Australian Government last week said it will draft a City of Perth Act to establish Perth as the city's pre-eminent council, with legislation due for introduction into State Parliament early next year.
Premier Colin Barnett said consultation with relevant parties would begin in the new year, resulting in an Act to recognise Perth as the state's capital city and acknowledge its central role in tourism and economic development.
THE next step towards future-proofing Perth's busiest bus route begins early next year with construction starting on a new bus priority lane on Mounts Bay Road near The University of Western Australia (UWA), the Western Australian Government announced last week.
Transport Minister Dean Nalder said the $3 million project would build on the success of the peak-hour Beaufort Street bus priority lanes and Transperth's most frequent bus service – the 950 bus route, which averages 17,000 passengers a day.
THE Western Australian and Australian governments last week said they are one step closer to creating a one-stop shop for environmental assessments and approvals, following the release of a draft bilateral agreement on environmental approvals for public comment
In a statement, Federal Environment Minister Greg Hunt and WA Environment Minister Albert Jacob said that once finalised, the bilateral agreement will accredit Western Australian environmental assessment and approval processes under national environment law.
AN URBAN renewal project that aims to change the way West Australians live and work by the coast has moved one step closer with the approval of the South Fremantle Power Station master plan, Lands Minister Terry Redman announced last week.
Mr Redman said the master plan represented one of Perth's biggest urban renewal projects and would lead the way for a new coastal city to be established four kilometres south of Fremantle.
THE Western Australian Government last week said it will deliver on its commitment to remove heavy trucks off Leach Highway with construction of the state's largest road infrastructure project – the Perth Freight Link – scheduled to start in early 2016.
Premier Colin Barnett has confirmed the State Government will contribute $650 million towards the $1.575 billion project, which will remove up to 500 trucks a day from Leach Highway and provide a more efficient and direct freight line to Fremantle Port.
THE West Australian Government last week announced that the construction of the new Perth Stadium is now officially under way, with the first of more than 2,000 piles for the 60,000 seat stadium driven into the Burswood Peninsula site.
Premier Colin Barnett said over the next 12 months, the piles will be driven about 35 metres into the ground to support the five-level structure, which is due to be completed in time for the 2018 AFL season.
THE way West Australians and visitors interact with the CBD will dramatically change from this time next year when Elizabeth Quay opens, West Australian Premier Colin Barnett announced last week during an inspection of the project site.
"This is an exciting time for the project with the underground foundation works now complete and construction above-ground becoming more visible," Mr Barnett said.
MORE than 190 hectares of land has been freed up in the Hazelmere industrial area, north-east of Perth Airport, after WA Planning Minister John Day approved six minor amendments to the Metropolitan Region Scheme to rezone the land from rural to industrial.
Mr Day said the amendments, which also rezone a small portion of land to urban and parks and recreation, would allow industrial growth while protecting wetlands, ground and surface water, and existing residential areas.
MOTORCYCLES will be permitted to travel in selected Perth bus lanes for a 12-month trial period next year and the process to allow taxis to travel in most bus lanes is also being formalised, the WA Government announced last week.
Transport Minister Dean Nalder said that starting early next year, a 12-month trial would be conducted for all motorcyclists to use two peak-period bus lanes. Until now, motorcycles have not been allowed in bus lanes.
THE Western Australian Government last week invited local and international contractors to submit expressions of interest to design and construct the state's new museum in the Perth Cultural Centre, which will be four times the size of the current museum.
Culture and the Arts Minister John Day said the EOI was the first stage in the procurement process to develop a contemporary museum facility that would showcase WA to the world. The State Government has allocated almost $430 million towards the project.
