Part 1 - Pickering Brook Townsite
After considerable community consultation, a report by the Project Working Group on the potential sustainable expansion of the Pickering Brook townsite has been endorsed by the Project Taskforce.
The key recommendation is that the townsite can support modest expansion of approximately 14 hectares, to protect its rural amenity.
The report recommends that the City of Kalamunda prepare and submit a Metropolitan Region Scheme (MRS) amendment request, so that the Western Australian Planning Commission may consider rezoning the supported land area from Rural to Urban.
Local people will have another opportunity to have their say on the potential expansion of the Pickering Brook townsite as part of the MRS amendment process.
About the Strategy
The Pickering Brook and Surrounds Sustainability and Tourism Strategy will provide strategic planning guidance for tourism-related growth within the Perth Hills.
Tourism development initiatives, including the potential growth of agritourism and the potential expansion of the Pickering Brook townsite will be investigated as part of developing the Strategy.
A Project Task Force and Project Working Group has been established, with representatives from the Western Australian Planning Commission (WAPC), relevant State government agencies, and the cities of Kalamunda and Armadale.
This project aims to:
- investigate the planning and economic development-related opportunities, constraints and options to revitalise the Pickering Brook townsite and surrounding area
- provide face-to-face opportunities for landowners and the community to have their say about the future of the area
- balance the aspirations of local government, landowners and community stakeholders, with State agency requirements, infrastructure capacity, bushfire risks, the environment and the needs of agricultural production
- consider any implications for high-quality agricultural land
- provide direction for future local planning
- carry out necessary examinations for the Pickering Brook Planning Investigation Area, identified in the Perth and Peel@3.5million North-East Sub-regional Planning Framework
- develop strategic recommendations for Government consideration.
The Strategy will be comprised of two separate reports:
- Part 1 - Pickering Brook Townsite
- Part 2 - Pickering Brook and Surrounds
Study area
Pickering Brook Planning Investigation Area
The WAPC’s Perth and Peel@3.5million plans for a population of 3.5 million by 2050. The North-East Sub-regional Planning Framework identified several sites as Planning Investigation Areas (PIAs), including 90ha of land adjacent to the existing Pickering Brook townsite.
The Project Working Group and Taskforce has investigated the key considerations for the Pickering Brook PIA and assessed whether any change in land use is appropriate. See the Part 1 Report for more information.
Key considerations include:
- identification and protection, where appropriate, of priority agricultural land
- impacts on public drinking water resources (Middle Helena Catchment – Priority Area 2)
- bushfire risk
- availability of reticulated water and wastewater infrastructure.
The Surrounds
The Surrounds comprise a significant portion in the Perth Hills between Paulls Valley in the north and Roleystone in the south, within the cities of Kalamunda and Armadale.
Part 2 of the Pickering Brook and Surrounds Sustainability and Tourism Strategy will provide planning guidance on potential tourism uses, identify opportunities for new and existing agritourism, and facilitate the sustainable growth of tourism activity in the area. Part 2 of the Strategy is anticipated to be released in early 2021.