Nedlands Stirling Highway Activity Corridor (NSHAC): Strategy and Scheme Amendment No. 13

Members of the community are invited to make a submission on the draft Nedlands Stirling Highway (NSHAC) Strategy and Scheme Amendment No. 13 through the online survey, via email at planning@nedlands.wa.gov.au or by sending hard copy submissions to the City’s Administration Building. You may also RSVP for an information session through the registration link at the bottom of this page. Consultation will run from 3 November 2023 until COB 15 January 2024. 

What is Scheme Amendment No. 13?

Scheme Amendment No. 13 seeks to impact development within the Mixed use zone along Stirling highway (purple lots in the map below) as follows:

• Delete the existing scheme clause that removes height from the assessment, which will allow the City to once again consider height
• Rezone some lots (refer to zoning map)
• Introduce vehicle access restrictions requiring the creation and use of laneways for lots fronting Stirling Highway (refer to Schedule 4)
• Introduce criteria for new significant developments to plant trees along Stirling Highway based on their street frontage

Currently Clause 26(3) of the City of Nedlands Local Planning Scheme No. 3 (LPS3) removes the Residential Design Codes (R-Codes) Volume 2 Acceptable Outcome for building height for lots zoned R-AC1. This means there is currently no guidance on building height for these areas. The scheme amendment proposes to delete this clause and reintroduce height as a consideration in assessments.

What is the Nedlands Stirling Highway Activity Corridor (NSHAC) Strategy?

The Nedlands Stirling Highway Activity Corridor (NSHAC) precinct encompasses the high-density Mixed Use (R-AC1) and Residential (R160 and R60) lots to the north and south of Stirling Highway within the City of Nedlands. The NSHAC area spans from the intersection of Loch Street and Stirling Highway at the west to the Bruce Street and Stirling Highway intersection to the east. 

The NSHAC Strategy is intended to be used as a guide to the desired future scale and character of the area, and act as a blueprint for changes to the existing legislative framework. The strategy seeks to guide redevelopment within the area to do the following:

• Introduce desired future built form guidance, including suggesting indicative building heights of between 6 and 12 storeys depending on lot location
• Improve amenity of Stirling Highway through provision of shade and easier pedestrian crossings
• Require the creation of carriageways that reduce or remove direct vehicle access from individual lots to Stirling Highway
• Change the zoning of land to create a critical mass of non-residential uses through the provision of three separate hubs along the Highway
• Prevent proliferation of low-density land uses along Stirling Highway

Adoption of the strategy will not result in statutory controls, however, it will strengthen the City's argument on expected height of new development until such time as any Scheme amendments are decided by the Minister for Planning, which may take 8-12 months after Council's final recommendation. It will also guide consideration for any future local planning policy.

Background

LPS3 introduced new zoning and density coding to Stirling Highway and up-coded the residential transition area, allowing higher density development within this Precinct area. The NSHAC area has been identified as an urban growth area and is intended to play a central role in accommodating the City’s infill dwelling target by 2025, as established in the Department of Planning, Lands and Heritage’s Perth and Peel @ 3.5 million Framework. This presented the City with the opportunity to prepare a Strategy for the Precinct informed by community engagement, context and character and built form modelling work.

How has the Strategy and Amendment been developed? 

A Stakeholder Reference group (SRG), made up of residents, landowners, and businesses within the Precinct, was established and participated in a series of workshops. The initial workshops focused on the community’s vision and guiding principles for the NSHAC area. The City engaged specialist consultants to develop built form modeling from the outcomes of the workshops to demonstrate proposed built form controls (including height). These proposed controls were presented to the SRG at subsequent workshops for their consideration and refinement. Following these workshops further consultation has been carried out through online surveys and in-person causal drop-in sessions. The Strategy has been developed to reflect both the feedback of the community and the various technical studies and the state government planning framework. 

What is happening now and how can I get involved? 

Members of the community are invited to make a submission online through a survey by clicking here or below, via email at planning@nedlands.wa.gov.au, or by sending hard copy submissions to the City’s Administration Building at 71 Stirling Highway, Nedlands WA 6009. For email and hard copy submissions, please include:

• Subject line: NSHAC Strategy and Amendment No. 13. 
• Full name
• Address
• Email address
• Telephone number
• Whether you support or object to the Strategy and/or Amendment, or if you are providing comment only. 

Consultation will run from 3 November 2023 until COB 15 January 2024. 

Feedback received will be taken into consideration prior to the Strategy and Amendment being provided back to Council. Please note that written submissions are not considered confidential and may be published in Council agendas. 

Community Information Sessions

City Officers will be available on 29 November from 5pm to 6pm in the Council Chambers at 71 Stirling Highway to answer any questions. Please note that there is no presentation at these sessions. It is an opportunity to speak with a City Officer about the proposal and you do not have to attend the entire time. Please RSVP through the link below for the session.

For any further enquiries, or to arrange a time to come into the City to speak with a Planner, please contact the City’s Strategic Planning team via email at planning@nedlands.wa.gov.au or call 9273 3500.