LANDCORP has released new drawings for its redevelopment of the two-hectare Kim Beazley site in White Gum Valley, with lots expected to be released for sale from August.

The finished development will see about 150 residents living in a range of housing from four-storey apartment blocks to single home blocks. There’s also space for an artists’ collective.

The project is expected to set new standards for sustainable design in WA, with most residents to enjoy energy bills less than half the average (GenYers will enjoy even more in their specially-designed apartments) and little in the way of water bills.

The architect behind the GenY digs, David Barr, says it’ll be setting the way for future developments.

• LandCorp’s vision for the re-development of the old Kim Beazley school site in White Gum Valley.

“I guess one aspect of this housing is that it essentially falls between a standard residential home and a multiple apartment block,” he says.

Fremantle Labor MP Simone McGurk says she welcomes some action on the long-vacant site but notes plans for a nearby super-block remain up in the air after the Barnett government decided to sell individual lots. “It’s a shame the government didn’t formulate a comprehensive plan for both sites and the general area,” she says.

“It’s a lost opportunity for local residents to shape their community and amenities, as well as a lost opportunity for positive housing development in the Fremantle area.”

by STEVE GRANT