Concept Plan 2010Midland Central Redevelopment Area

midlandmetro

REDEVELOPMENT

AUTHORITY

C o n t e n t s

1 Vision

2 The story so far

4 Creating a sustainable community

6 Buildings and design guidelines

7 Access and movement

8 Public open spaces and public art

10 Midland Metro Concept Plan 2010

12 - City Centre

14 - Clayton

16 - Helena (Railway Workshops)

18 - Eastern Enterprise

20 Heritage

1

The vision for

the revitalisation

of Midland is

of a vibrant

regional centre

with a strong

sense of

identity

V i s i o n

The Railway Workshops site is central to Midland’s sense of place. The historic site will be a distinctive precinct where educational, industrial, cultural and rail heritage facilities and activities coexist and overlap in a unique way that recalls the past and looks to the future. A new high-quality residential subdivision on the western end around the former coal dam now complements the old buildings, and with apartments and commercial outlets in and around the major heritage buildings will bring life and vitality to the site.

In central Midland, redevelopment will be integrated with the surroundings to achieve a pleasant ambience. The central road, The Crescent, is now a tree-lined boulevard with a park featuring a new and impressive symbol of Midland, a five-metre tall copper sculpture by renowned artist Robert Juniper. New three-storey buildings with shopfronts at street level and residential space above, attractive landscaping and street furniture create a stylish heart of town.

Throughout the redevelopment area, distinctive public artworks interpret and define Midland’s rich and diverse cultural heritage.

The MRA’s work contributes to the maintenance and enhancement of environmental, social, heritage and cultural values in and around the redevelopment area and maximises the long-term benefits to the city centre, the region and the State.

Midland Metro is the marketing name for residential and commercial land at the Railway Workshops and in the central Midland redevelopment area. The logo, with its rings of radiating circular shapes, suggests the light beam emanating from the front of a locomotive and symbolises Midland as an area of focus.

The heart of Midland reflects its origins in the goldrush of the 1890s and

its heyday as the State’s rail industry centre. The Western Australian

Government’s Midland renewal project is building on the city’s proud heritage

and creating a vibrant and distinctive environment for working, living in and

enjoying the area.

Stage 1 of the redevelopment (Midland Central) includes the city centre and

the adjacent century-old former Railway Workshops.

The Midland Redevelopment Authority (MRA) has set out to create a concept

plan that will have the greatest possible economic, environmental and social

benefits for the people of Midland.

The vision for the revitalisation of Midland is of a vibrant regional centre with

a strong sense of identity. It will be recognised for its cultural diversity and

growing opportunities in commerce, education and the arts.

Midland Metro

Concept Plan 2010

is the culmination

of many years

of planning for

Midland’s revival

The story so far

After the Workshops closed in 1994 the State Government commissioned a series of planning studies on the site’s future. However, the catalyst for action came in 1997 when consultants Ecologically Sustainable Design Pty Ltd led the Midland Revitalisation Charrette for the then Shire of Swan and Ministry for Planning. This was an intensive, five-day interactive planning exercise aimed at solving the planning problems of the Midland regional centre. It identified the Railway Workshops precinct as the key site for the revitalisation, suggesting it be considered as the southern half of an enlarged and more vibrant town centre.

The charrette considered the development of a police complex and a railway museum on the site and recommended a site cleanup.

The exercise added momentum to intense lobbying by the shire and the business community for a redevelopment authority, and the MRA was established in late 1999.

In the 15-year life of the redevelopment, the MRA will spend $100 million on infrastructure projects. The Authority’s task is to guide the land use, planning, subdivision and redevelopment of land in the redevelopment area, revitalise Midland and re-establish it as a strategic regional centre.

The draft Concept Plan produced in August 2000 divided Stage 1 of

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In the 15-year life of the redevelopment, the MRA will spend $100 million on infrastructure projects

the redevelopment, Midland Central, into four precincts (City Centre, Clayton, Helena and Eastern Enterprise) and outlined concepts for the preferred type and form of development in each. Extensive consultation followed the release of the draft Concept Plan, with community support strongly favouring the inclusion of a rail heritage centre on the site.

Midland Metro Concept Plan 2010 refines the draft plan prepared by the MRA in 2000 and provides a clear vision of the plans for Stage 1 for the community and development industry.

3

Creating a sustainable community

The success of recent urban renewal projects in Western Australia and elsewhere has set high standards for those that follow. The community now expects high-quality sustainable developments – that is, developments that achieve simultaneous environmental, social and economic improvement.

Midland Metro Concept Plan 2010 takes into account Midland’s significance as a strategic regional centre with a catchment that extends far beyond the metropolitan area. At present there is a population of 90,000 within 12kms of the Midland post office, but few of those people come to Midland for recreation and even fewer live there. It is estimated that the population of the City of Swan will grow to as many as 140,000 by 2025. Many of those people will require services and opportunities including employment, education, health and recreation.

Midland Metro Concept Plan 2010 integrates the principles of sustainable development.

By city centre improvements, including the creation of new mixed-use commercial and residential sites, parks and gardens and

adapting heritage buildings to new uses, the plan creates many new opportunities.

On the Railway Workshops site extensive remediation of former industrial land has restored large areas to make them available for commercial, residential and community uses. For the first time, the bushland along the Helena River will be a natural asset accessible to all.

A heritage strategy is in place that defines the process for planning and development of the heritage buildings and sites throughout the area. Many of the uses proposed for the former Workshops are included as adaptive reuses of these heritage icons.

The potential for cultural activities and education uses in the large

heritage buildings is stimulating additional interest in Midland. The community learning precinct is planned to meet the emerging need for lifelong learning, delivering facilities and opportunities for post-compulsory and tertiary courses never before available in the region.

New, diverse residential neighbourhoods in the city and on the Workshops site will attract students, young homebuyers, families, home-based businesses and older people and inject new social and economic vigour into the region. Medium-density homes will make efficient use of land, and GreenSmart subdivisions and design guidelines will promote environmentally sensitive design, minimising waste and the use of water and energy.

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All development will be designed to maximise safety and security. Well-planned and well-lit streets will be alive with activity, linking attractive areas and public spaces to encourage walking and strengthen Midland’s sense of neighbourhood. Development design around the centrally-located rail station and bus interchange will help to encourage the use of public transport.

Developments like the WA Police facilities and the large format retail precinct are already generating major economic and employment growth. As Midland Metro Concept Plan 2010 unfolds it will bring many more benefits to strengthen the region’s economic base, enhance Midland’s appeal for locals and visitors and deliver a better quality of life for all.

The success of recent urban renewal projects

in Western Australia and elsewhere

has set high standards for those that follow

5

Buildings and design guidelines

The built form of Midland Metro will ensure the public spaces enhance and improve the lives of the new community as it develops in the coming years.

Midland Metro will have its own distinctive design character that complements its unique settings and its relationship with the area’s heritage assets.

Streetscapes and public spaces

Streetscapes and open spaces in Midland Metro are designed with good lighting for enhanced security.

The public areas encourage community use, such as enjoying an al fresco meal or walking to Perth’s most successful farmers’ market.

Buildings

Midland Metro will have a diversity of accommodation, from single and two-storey dwellings to three and four-storey apartments and terrace-style housing, including student and studio accommodation. There is also potential for warehouse-style adaptation of some of the heritage buildings. Densities will tend to

be higher around the train station transport hub and within the City Centre precinct.

An average density of R100 (i.e. 100 dwellings per hectare) has been allowed. While high, this density remains people-friendly at street level and will not compromise lifestyle, light or amenity. Ground floors of residential buildings will have active frontages such as shops, cafes and offices. Buildings will have varying texture and detail to reduce overall bulk and impact on the streetscape. With upper levels recessed, the ground level will provide a perception of a reduced scale that is friendly to pedestrian activity.

Cities with high densities have notable advantages, stimulating the elements that help to create communities – residential apartments and buildings close to shops; cafes and offices a few minutes’ walk from home; and the development of the bustling vibrancy that enlivens some of the world’s most liveable cities.

6

Local streets will be designed to encourage low-speed traffic movement and safe, convenient access for all users

Densities of R80 are provided on the Workshops site. This area is closer to the Woodbridge area and the lower density respects this new land use alongside the historic, stately Victorian industrial buildings.

Sustainability

Design guidelines ensure development contributes to environmental sustainability. Buildings will be measured on environmentally sustainable design ratings. Building orientation and shading will conform to passive solar design principles, while waterwise design will ensure development has minimal environmental impact on the surrounding area and encourages sustainable water usage.

Encouraging pedestrians and cyclists

Local streets are designed to encourage low-speed traffic movement and safe, convenient access for all users, including the disabled. A well-lit walking and cycling network will link major activity centres to public transport.

Supporting public transport

Higher densities in this location support the Midland train station and bus interchange in the heart of Midland Metro. This centrally located major transport hub enhances the walk-on attraction of public transport through the pedestrian network and supported bus service.

Refining the road network

Key structural changes and additions to the regional road network include the extension of

Lloyd Street through the Workshops site to link with works by the City of Swan extending the road to the Great Eastern Highway bypass. This link will establish Lloyd Street as a major southern gateway to the Midland city centre.

Parking

Each development will be required to provide on-site parking. In addition, a car park on the Workshops site and street bays will ensure adequate parking throughout the area.

Public transport

A significant upgrade of the Midland train station and bus interchange will improve disabled access and provide a safe and friendly setting. A CAT bus route through the city centre and, in time, through the Workshops will provide frequent stops to service businesses and residents.

Access and movement

7

Public open spaces and public art

of Block 1. Railway Square will recognise the important heritage value of the space through mostly hard landscaping. Mature trees will soften the square and draw attention to the magnificent architecture of the surrounding heritage buildings. As the central core of the community learning precinct, Railway Square will be a lively area with a campus atmosphere.

• The Heritage Green – beside the Foundry and other heritage buildings. This will be an active open space area, a unique environment in a unique setting and a connection point for all activities of the Workshops Village. At Heritage Green old meets new, workers meet students, commercial and residential areas interface and heritage buildings accommodate contemporary industries.

Although the Helena River is mostly outside the redevelopment area boundary, the Authority is working closely with key stakeholders and the community to develop a plan that will see the river banks restored as much as possible to a natural environment, giving the whole community improved access.

Each of these spaces will soften the hard-edged urban surrounds, giving both visual and physical pleasure and adding to Midland’s unique sense of place.

Public art

The rich cultural history of the Midland area, both Aboriginal and European, provides a wealth of influences that will be reflected through public art. Throughout

Midland Metro, imaginative art pieces link the varied components of the redevelopment and define its distinctive character.

The unique features and heritage of the Railway Workshops are inspiring some wonderful works. A selection of the first works produced under the MRA’s public art program, including drawings, paintings, prints and etchings, is exhibited in the restored and refurbished Railway Institute building, the MRA’s office.

Artworks already gifted to the Midland community by the MRA include:

• The Workers’ Wall – built of bricks inscribed with the names of workers and a major feature at the entrance to the Railway Workshops. It pays tribute to the thousands of Western Australians who wove the rich social history of the site, and reinforces the sense

A major legacy of the MRA to the Midland community will be the public open spaces and public art being installed for the enjoyment of current and future generations.

Open spaces

Parks and open spaces are designed to be characteristic of the area and reflect its unique settings and heritage assets.

Streetscapes and open spaces in Midland Metro will have good lighting for enhanced security. Public areas will encourage community involvement and enjoyment, providing pleasant settings for picnics, al fresco eating areas outside restaurants or a stroll along tree-lined streets to a shopping centre or the Sunday farmers’ market.

Four major open spaces will be created in Midland Metro:

• Coal Dam Park – located in the Woodbridge Lakes estate. Coal Dam Park is an expansive park adjacent to the historic Coal Dam with access to the nearby Helena River parkland. It features landscaping for passive exercise, picnics and family enjoyment.

• Juniper Gardens – in the City Centre precinct. This park gives Midland a distinctive recreational area in the heart of town and features striking artworks that complement the heritage of the location. Juniper Gardens provides a contemporary junction for a variety of entertainment uses and residential and commercial activity.

• Railway Square – the former Workshops shunting yards in front

8

of ownership and connection many people still feel for the Workshops.

The scale and design of the Workers’ Wall is in keeping with the size and significance of the adjacent heritage buildings. The sculptural insets are by Perth sculptor Mark Grey-Smith, who used some of the actual historical products and machinery from the Workshops and some of the historical photographs to design the figures. In his words: “The work captures, in a symbolic way, the action and energy of the working environment.”

• Street sculptures – Safety Bay sculptor Kath Wheatley’s series of roadside figures imply the strong family connections within the Workshops. The artist has balanced the hard metal components with small, whimsical decoration and human poses and expressions, resulting in artwork that is endearing and personable.

The figures are installed on the verges of Yelverton Drive, linking the Amherst Road roundabout to the Lloyd Street intersection. Others are located throughout the city centre.

• Fountain – a striking artwork in front of the Australian Opera Studio in Great Eastern Highway, symbolising the connection between water and earth. The futuristic fountain, titled Trickle, flow and fall, is a colourful collection of plant sculptures in cast aluminium and bronze by WA artist Steve Tepper. It invites the viewer to come closer to see what it is, and to delight in the discovery.

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• Juniper sculpture – a five-metre tall copper sculpture by renowned Western Australian artist Robert Juniper, a superb artwork that will become synonymous with Midland. The towering, modernistic sculpture symbolises the Swan region’s rich creativity and exciting future.

• Nesting – Coal Dam Park is enlivened by whimsical sculptures by Anne Neil on a theme of nesting. The sculptures include a rosebud arbour in filigree steel, a series of bronze shovels planted in the ground and a group of abstract children’s toys.

• Aboriginal connection – Nyoongar artist Lance Chad’s design is incorporated in the footpath around Woodbridge Lakes. This indigenous artwork depicts the brotherhood of emu and man and the seasons of the traditional owners of the land.

• Future artworks – the MRA plans to include public art in many other locations including the Heritage Green, around the former Workshops buildings and in the Helena River parkland.

A major legacy of the MRA to the Midland community will be the public open spaces and public art being installed for the enjoyment of current and future generations

Midland Metro 2010 concept plan

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Precinct Names

Legend

Heritage Green

Coal Dam Park

Railway Square

Juniper Gardens

GREAT EASTERN HIGHWAY

HE

LE

NA

S

TR

EE

T

CA

LE

S

TR

EE

T

CE

NT

EN

NIA

L

PL

AC

E

AM

HE

RS

T

RO

AD

YELVERTON DRIVE

RAILWAY PARADE

1

1b

1c

3b

1a

1d

3a

2c

2a

THE CRESCENT

3

2

VICTORIA STREET

1111

CLAYTON STREET

LL

OY

D

S

TR

EE

T

ELGEE ROAD

2b

4a

4b

4c

4c2b

4

NORTH

Throughout this location, attractive al fresco areas will encourage pedestrians and provide the main link through the heart of the city.

Juniper Gardens

This area includes new public open spaces, with commercial and cultural uses (including the Australian Opera Studio) in the retained Midland Junction School heritage buildings. Juniper Gardens, named after renowned local artist Robert Juniper, features a five-metre tall copper

City Centre

The Crescent

The Crescent will be a wide shady boulevard lined with three-storey terrace-style buildings with retail, entertainment and home-based business premises at ground level and accommodation above.

A large apartment building on the coner of Keane Street will support the retail and entertainment precinct.

12

JuniperGardens

GREAT EASTERN HIGHWAY

CA

LE

S

TR

EE

T

RAILWAY PARADE

1b

1c

1a

1d

VICTORIA STREET

HE

LE

NA

S

TR

EE

T

1

BYERS ROAD

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sculpture and is envisaged as the focus of the growing cultural heart of the city centre.

This will be the entertainment area of the city centre. Activities in Juniper Gardens will be reinforced by the leisure activities of cinemas, cafes and restaurants being developed along Cale Street as part of the $120 million revitalisation of the Midland Gate Shopping Centre.

Train Station Precinct

Redevelopment proposals for the Midland train station and bus interchange and the Centrepoint Shopping Centre area include development of the whole area with mixed residential, commercial and civic uses. These changes will provide for a range of high-density residential and commercial opportunities that will contribute

to the energy of the city centre. This major transport hub gives Midland an opportunity to maximise transit-oriented development and is seen as a catalyst for new trends in residential and commercial uses in this location.

The Centrepoint Shopping Centre is privately owned and current retail activities will continue in the interim. A whole-of-Government and private sector partnership will ensure the success of this precinct.

Victoria Precinct

This area is dominated by privately owned property. It includes a mix of office and residential development to provide a transition from the retail core around The Crescent to the transit-orientated hub of the train station and the mixed use of the former Workshops. Design

guidelines will ensure that new developments are in keeping with the city centre and encourage pedestrian movements in inviting, interactive surrounds.

The Crescent will be a wide shady boulevard

lined with three-storey terrace-style buildings

with retail, entertainment and home-based business

premises at ground level and accommodation above

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Clayton

Western Australian Police

The Western Australian Police Operational Support Facility occupies a 17-hectare area south of Clayton Street. Plans for the

site include forensic, emergency operations and mounted and canine facilities.

CLAYTON STREET

CE

NT

EN

NIA

L

PL

AC

E

LL

OY

D

S

TR

EE

T 2b

2a

2c

2b

2

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The Communications Centre, constructed in 2000, was the first building on the site and incorporated design characteristics to complement the surrounding heritage buildings. The WA Police facilities will eventually accommodate up to 600 employees.

Large Format Retail area

The intersection of Clayton and Lloyd Streets will become the main entry to Midland from the south when Lloyd Street is extended from Clayton Street to the Great Eastern Highway bypass, providing a direct link to the airport. The Clayton/ Lloyd Street intersection is now signal-controlled, removing a ‘black spot’ accident area and providing improved access to commercial land.

The Concept Plan recognises the strong link that this location has to the retail heart of Midland, and its role as a southern gateway, by introducing a centre of excellence in large format retailing. This centre capitalises on the intersection’s easy access and good exposure,

and reinforces the city centre retail functions by providing a specific retail focus and channelling activity back towards the core retail area along Lloyd Street.

The intersection will be reinforced by the development of landmark buildings and suitable parking locations.

Clayton North - Midland Health Campus

In November 2005 the Western Australian Government announced the relocation of the Swan Districts Hospital from Great Northern Highway, outside the Midland city centre, to this prime central location on the northern side of Clayton Street.

The new health campus will provide strong activity in the precinct and have clear pedestrian links to the Midland train station and the city centre. It provides opportunity for co-locating associated uses and developing relationships with other uses such as education and training facilities and aged care accommodation.

Construction will start in 2008 and the campus will eventually accommodate up to 1500 staff.

Helena (Railway Workshops)

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Coal Dam Park

Heritage Green

CE

NT

EN

NIA

L

PL

AC

E

AM

HE

RS

T

RO

AD

YELVERTON DRIVE

3a

3b

Railway Square

3

HE

LE

NA

ST

RE

ET

Woodbridge Lakes

Woodbridge Lakes, at the western end of the Railway Workshops site around the former coal dam, is an environmentally friendly, medium-density residential neighbourhood. Home designs will be compatible with the area’s heritage character and incorporate ecologically sustainable design and crime prevention principles. A boardwalk around the dam, nearby parklands along the Helena River bed and public open spaces featuring distinctive artworks add to the area’s amenity.

Workshops Village

The Workshops Village provides a unique mix of cultural and built heritage character. The Railway Workshops buildings will be adapted for residential and commercial uses, with Block 1 housing the proposed rail heritage centre. The Power House, Copper Shop and Pattern Shop will have activities of interest to visitors and may include creative industries and educational opportunities. A walk trail links buildings, equipment and sites, interpreting the former use of the area and recognising the heritage value of the Workshops.

An integrated community learning education facility for all levels of learning is planned as the central hub of the Workshops Village. This location is highly accessible, close to the Midland train station and bus interchange.

The community learning precinct adapts several heritage buildings, linking them to new facilities for tertiary level education and associated uses. These facilities will frame the open piazza of the Railway Square and give this historic area a modern campus character.

The Foundry will be adapted as the contemporary home of a creative industries enclave housing glass blowers, sculptors, fine wood craftsmen and an assortment of creative initiatives. It is intended that the addition of an iconic “extrusion” at the western end of the Foundry will provide Workshops Village with a theatre, café and gallery retail space for the products of the creative industries domiciled in the Foundry and surrounding buildings.

Landscaping and design will reinforce the heritage spaces and buildings and highlight the vistas from Woodbridge Lakes in the west to the Darling Range escarpment in the east.

The Heritage Green, located south of the Foundry and including other heritage buildings such at the Power House, will bring together the activities of the Workshops Village and provide a common link between the heritage, education and residential uses to create a sense of place and community within the village area.

Bushland along the Helena River and the adaptive reuse of several of the large heritage buildings provides a unique setting for the Workshops Village main residential area.

Pedestrian and bike paths provide easy access to all nearby areas.

A public art strategy for the Workshops Village will build on the impressive Workers’ Wall near Block 1 and the verge sculptures along Yelverton Drive that celebrate the precinct’s history.

The community learning precinct adapts several heritage buildings, linking them to new facilities for tertiary level education and associated uses

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18

Eastern Enterprise

Additional light industrial uses will sustain existing

uses in the area and support the new large

format retail area nearby

ELGEE ROAD

4a

4b

4c

4c

4

LL

OY

D S

TR

EE

T

Light Industrial area

The 14-hectare Western Australian Meat Industry Authority (WAMIA) saleyards site will be redeveloped for light industrial uses. This site is adjacent to the Bellevue light industrial area and Austral Brickworks, and additional similar uses will sustain existing uses in the area and support the nearby large format retail centre.

The WA Meat Industry Authority is the owner of this land and current livestock activities may continue in the interim.

Elgee Road will provide access to additional light and service industries north of the rail corridor on land currently owned by the Public Transport Authority. The main feature in this area is the CBH grain silo, which could be adapted into a training facility or other industrial use.

The intersection of Lloyd Street and Elgee Road may be developed for large format retail use to reinforce the link to the city centre retail area.

The Perth Transit Authority is the owner of this land and the current rail activities may continue in the interim.

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Heritage

The Railway Workshops is one of many cultural heritage sites in the Midland redevelopment area. It represents the most intact example of an early 20th century railway workshop in Australia and contains a number of significant buildings, site features and machinery.

The Workshops was a major employer and played a significant role in the training of apprentices for the various trades and professions represented on the site. For 90 years it was the economic engine of the Midland region, and the site holds a special place in the State’s industrial, economic and social history.

The MRA’s strategy to conserve the heritage values of the Railway Workshops, which is on the Heritage Council of WA’s Register of Heritage Places, is one of the most significant undertakings by the Western Australian Government in this field.

The Midland Redevelopment Act 1999 specifically commits the MRA to conserve the Workshops, particularly its heritage and labour history. This includes a highly intact collection of machines and associated tools used for the manufacture, repair and maintenance of locomotives and rolling stock.

A heritage strategy is in place to provide a coherent approach to heritage issues. The strategy gives the MRA the confidence and certainty to proceed with planning and development.

The strategy confirms the parameters for decisions related to heritage, and establishes a clearly defined and agreed process for planning and development proposals. It covers both the registered area of the Railway Workshops (Helena) and the rest of the redevelopment area where heritage issues arise (Clayton, City Centre and Eastern Enterprise precincts).

An example of the MRA’s commitment to the heritage of Midland Metro is the award-winning restoration of the Railway Institute and Technical School building, used as the Authority’s office.

The Midland Redevelopment Act 1999 specifically commits the Midland Redevelopment Authority to conserve the Workshops, particularly its heritage and labour history

The Midland Redevelopment Act 1999 specifically commits the Midland Redevelopment Authority to conserve the Workshops, particularly its heritage and labour history

P r o u d h i s t o r y . E x c i t i n g f u t u r e .

Midland Redevelopment AuthorityRailway Institute BuildingCnr Helena Street and Yelverton DriveMidland WA 6056

Telephone: 9374 5500Fax: 9250 2437Email: mra@mra.wa.gov.auWebsite: www.mra.wa.gov.au

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