City and LandCorp join forces in vision for Bunbury

​The City of Bunbury announced on Friday 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 or State-owned land.

Mayor Gary Brennan said a Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) between the City of Bunbury and LandCorp was now in place, enabling the two parties to work together to find solutions to constraints that have hindered development of the 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.”

While the partnership with LandCorp is just one of a raft of measures being progressed by the City, the South West Development Commission, and the WA Government to underpin Bunbury’s economic future, the City’s commitment to infill remains a key priority.

“As part of planning for City growth, we have to recognise that there is only so much greenfield land available to us, and we have to think smart about transforming under-utilised or orphan pockets of land into highly desirable places for people to live and work,” Mr Brennan said.

LandCorp CEO Frank Marra firmly agreed, saying infill projects not only offer a diverse range of housing options, but they can also provide great benefits to the community.

“Last year we invited Bunbury councillors and staff to visit a number of our infill projects in development. They were able to see first-hand how planning and design to reflect the character of an area allows such developments to integrate seamlessly within existing communities, as well as introduce much needed community amenity, shops or services,” Mr Marra said.

“With Bunbury also working hard towards its goal of becoming the Most Accessible Regional City In Australia by 2020, these are exciting times and we are thrilled and proud to be a partner in the journey to help shape the city’s future.”

Mr Brennan said the City was keen to work with a range of stakeholders to get the best outcomes for the entire community and meet the likely requirements of the next generations.

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.