City of Perth foreshore plan could see Riverside Drive re-routed, but WA Government not convinced

The City of Perth has unveiled a bold redevelopment plan for the CBD’s eastern riverfront including the conversion of Langley Park into a recreational hub complete with restaurants, playing fields, and a lagoon for swimming.

It includes around 3,000 new trees across the foreshore, and the redirection of Riverside Drive away from the river.

The redevelopment could take between 10 and 20 years to complete, with a projected cost in the billions.

But it looks doomed to failure unless residents and the WA Labor government can be convinced to support it.

Cost ‘hard to say’: Zempilas

While lauding the proposal as a game changing “once in a generation” project, Lord Mayor Basil Zempilas conceded the barriers between conception and fruition remained high.

“The actual costings it is hard to say,” he told reporters on Wednesday.

“You will see a number of a billion dollars quoted. That’s quoted because we don’t want to set unrealistic expectations.”

But he drew comparisons between the plan and other recent major infrastructure spends such as Perth Stadium, which cost almost $2 billion.

“The stadium is a jewel in our city’s crown, but it’s used one or two days a week,” he said.

“This is a significant project for all of our city. So is it worth it and do the numbers add up by comparison? I think they do.”

‘Pipe dream’: Whitby

However the state government, which is engaged in an on-and-off war of words with Mr Zempilas — a Liberal candidate for next year’s state election — was less convinced.

“If you want to improve the amenity you need to do sensible realistic things,” said Environment Minister Reece Whitby.

“If you want to play in the big league you’ve got to take things seriously.

Mr Whitby also accused Mr Zempilas of blocking government efforts to transform the city, and questioned what role the Liberal Party had played in the foreshore plan.

“We need to know is this Liberal party policy? Does [Liberal leader] Libby Mettam support it?” he said.

“Has the Liberal Party costed and funded this as part of their election commitments?”

Pressed on whether she supported the plan at a press conference later in the morning, Ms Mettam would not be drawn, telling reporters it was a “local government plan” and she was focused on cost of living, law and order and health issues.

The Lord Mayor said he would be surprised if the WA Government did not back the plan, adding it aligned strongly with Labor’s outlook for the CBD.

And he was adamant his potential future in parliament had no bearing on the proposal.

“I represent [the City of Perth] council,” he said.

“This is not a matter for any potential future colleagues. The only colleagues that matter are my City of Perth colleagues.”

The City’s Riverfront Masterplan is expected to be endorsed by council next month, before it goes out for more detailed costings and public consultation.

History of riverfront plans

It is the latest in a string of plans to transform Langley Park in recent decades, including a design competition run by Carmen Lawrence’s Labor Government in 1991.

The winning design envisaged Langley Park as an island with a large boardwalk extending into the river, and also included the realignment of Riverside Drive.

However, it never came to fruition.

In 2016 the then Liberal Government envisaged new tunnels or bridges across the Swan River to ease pressure on Riverside Drive, which would ultimately be closed to make better use of the waterfront.

While part of Riverside Drive was diverted around Elizabeth Quay, which opened in early 2016, the rest of the plan also never eventuated. 

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