The City of Bunbury has announced it has entered into a land investigation and development agreement with LandCorp to explore possible ways forward for the development of under-utilised prime City of state-owned land.
Mayor Gary Brennan said the two parties will work together to find solutions to constraints that have hindered development of vacant sites.
“There are parcels of state or city-owned land located in prime positions in and around the CBD that could offer potential for city-building initiatives that would contribute to the City’s vision for Bunbury as WA’s second city,” Mr Brennan said.
Some of sites have been on the market for several years, but it is understood the development challenges they present make them unviable for private developers to take on in the current economic climate.
“LandCorp, as the state’s land development agency, has a strong track record in working with others to explore innovative solutions to difficult and complex projects,” Mr Brennan said.
“Pooling their experience with the expertise and local knowledge offered by senior City officers gives us a fighting chance to unshackle the potential of these sites.”
LandCorp chief executive officer Frank Marra said infill projects in the City of Bunbury would not only offer a diverse range of housing options, but would provide great benefits to the community.
“With Bunbury working hard towards its goal of becoming the Most Accessible Regional City In Australia by 2020, these are exciting times and we are thrilled to be a partner in the journey to help shape the city’s future,” Mr Marra said.
Once the City and LandCorp have concluded their initial investigations and confirmed which sites can be progressed for development, a stakeholder and community engagement program will be rolled out to enable additional input into the planning.
