THE Canning Bridge Activity Centre Council Reference Group (CRG) are local residents who have been engaging with Melville on the bridge Activity Centre Plan review since 2020.
THE CRG welcomes council’s invitation to residents for feedback on three concept plans for the Moreau Mews town square due by May 4, and proposes a complementary and linked, two-stage process:
1. Develop 100 per cent of the site into urgently-needed public open space by late 2026;
2. Activate the Town Square by integration into developments of adjacent properties over time.
Stage 1:
Concept Plans 1 or 2 could form the basis of Stage 1.
The CRG recommends maximising space for a leafy, green town square at the centre of the tallest buildings in the Canning Bridge precinct, which currently has no parks or playgrounds nearby, and an ever-diminishing tree canopy.
No green space should be sacrificed for car parking, or for retail and café structures.
The CRG considers this option to be optimal, because:
• Carparking reduces the POS;
• Carpark movements increase public safety risks – the square should prioritise the needs of pedestrians and groups of people, especially the elderly and children;
• There will be a significant increase in traffic along Moreau Mews when all traffic from Sabina, Aurora and Tower 3 use it as their exit;
• In an area of increasingly high population density within walking distance of the square and close public transport, walking, not driving, should be promoted;
• Parking can be addressed in better ways to divert vehicles away from Moreau Mews and Kishorn Road (see stage 2);
• Car parking on the southern boundary of the site may disincentivise adjoining owners from beneficially integrating their developments with the square (see Stage 2); and,
• Alternative street parking, plus public parking within developments, is currently available.
There are already three cafés in close proximity, whose trade would be affected if the City were to compete with those small, local businesses.
At the March 2025 Council meeting, City officers reported that parking had been included in the concept plans due to public feedback.
However the City’s key findings states: “While the majority of feedback was favourable, a small amount of negative input was received from local businesses, primarily focused on current limited parking availability in the area…”.
There remains strong community support for no parking on the square and for optimising leafy green space.
The building of the square will provide certainty to surrounding property owners so they can decide how best to integrate their developments into the Square – this leads to Stage 2.
Stage 2:
The development of the Square will activate the precinct and add value to the adjoining properties, and vice versa.
“Aspirational” Concept 3 should be seen as an evolving concept building on Stage 1.
It will be influenced by how the surrounding properties integrate their developments into the square. It is likely that restaurants, cafes, small bars and retail shops will be on the ground floor of developments, with outdoor areas opening onto the square.
Concept 3 comes at higher cost, but it is not clear if all of those costs will/should be borne by the City.
The federal and state governments should co-fund the provision of POS made necessary by the increased density they are mandating.
While the City’s proposed changes to the CBACP includes no bonus heights, it appears the WA Planning Commission will likely preserve some level of bonus heights and developers will still need to provide community benefits in return.
This could play into the future development of the square.
If there is a need for more public parking, developers can provide this in exchange for bonus heights and this should be done in a way that removes traffic completely from the square.
Bonus heights are a very profitable part of a development, and the City has significant leverage to ensure that meaningful community benefits are provided in return.
Much community anger arose from the bonus heights given to existing developments with negligible community benefits.
There must be genuine community benefits provided in the future.
Stage 2 will require creative thinking to integrate the square into the surrounding developments, and skilled negotiation to provide mutually beneficial solutions for all.
Please have your say by May 4 either by email to: melinfo@melvillecity.wa.gov.au; / or provide online feedback at: https://www.melvillecity.com.au/our-city/connect-with-us/melville-talks/community-engagements/moreau-mews-town-square
We hope you will tell the City you agree with the CRG.