PLANS for the $16 billion Stirling City Centre project are receiving unanimous support from local, State and Federal leaders.
Project stakeholders say the envisaged Stirling hub will be transit-oriented, eco-friendly and characterised by mixed-use, community-friendly development.
Plans for the city centre involve substantial modifications to the area’s road layout, including a light rail network linking Herdsman Business Park, Stirling and Scarborough Beach.
The Stirling Alliance expects the proposed city centre to create 30,000 jobs and attract 30,000 residents.
Premier Colin Barnett recently announced the State Government had transferred 11ha of State-owned land to the WA Planning Commission in order to “kick start” the project.
Mr Barnett said the Stirling City Centre was a “bold vision” that would lead to Stirling becoming a substantial sub-city within the metropolitan area.
Prime Minister Kevin Rudd visited Stirling last month and received a briefing on the project.
Mr Rudd told the Stirling Times he found the City’s “sound grasp” of the need for proper planning and efforts to develop a stronger civic centre very impressive.
“We’ll be looking to be long-term partners with what the City’s doing here,” he said.
Planning Minister John Day said the project was particularly significant because it would relieve public transport pressure in the CBD and take pressure off the freeway.
Stirling Business Association (SBA) president Brian Brewer said development of the proposed ‘second CBD’ would improve traffic flow and prompt an influx of business opportunities to the area.
City of Stirling acting chief executive Ross Povey said the city centre would offer people a friendly habitat and exciting lifestyle with world-class facilities.
The WA Planning Commission said major development could begin as soon as 2012.