The City of Bunbury is looking forward to the not-too-distant future, unveiling plans for the heavily-anticipated Civic and Cultural Precinct.
Last year, the council awarded Bollig Design Group the opportunity to develop new ideas for the project.
Unveiled at the CBD Planning Forum on Wednesday, July 18, the plan has included a multi-deck car park, seen as a probable solution for parking issues.
The proposed precinct also features a civic square and a gallery expansion, creating a link between the Souths Furniture car park and Bunbury Regional Art Gallery area.
City of Bunbury Mayor Gary Brennan previously revealed the newly-purchased Souths Building would become part of the precinct.
“The concept is simply saying what is possible – the car park on the northern end of the art gallery building and the Souths car park being developed for something else,” Mr Brennan said.
“I am really looking forward to the feedback and suggestions we get.
“We’ll read all the suggestions regarding parking, place-making and the precinct...there will then be an identification of what will be the preferred way forward for each of those areas.”
Mr Brennan revealed the precinct may also develop extra spaces for shops and apartments.
“We’ve been promoting it [high density living] for a while now, our current Town Planning Scheme advocates that,” he said.
“We want to see more residential development in our central area.”
He said the city’s traffic engineers would be “looking at options” for changes to Wittenoom Street and Princep Street.
“We’re trying to get more pedestrian-friendly streets in our central area and there could be an emphasis on that into the future,” he said.
“Some retailers in Victoria Street are quite concerned about closing off traffic permanently but they are receptive to the idea of closing off Victoria Street for functions or events, which we have done in the past.”
Mr Brennan assured people living and working in the CBD that measures would be put in place during the precinct’s construction.
He confirmed the precinct would be developed within the next “five to ten years”.
“To do that project properly it will be about a $40 million spend, that’s based on the concepts which may change,” he said.
“The city could raise around $8 million today, but we’d need to have another $20-$30 million from the state and federal governments.
“It will take some time for it to be identified as a priority by the state and federal governments.”
The Bunbury Geographe Chamber of Commerce and Industry said the proposed precinct would “encourage” new developments in the CBD.
The city has set up an online forum, Social Pinpoint, for community members to express their views over the Civic and Cultural Precinct, with submissions eligible up until August 18.