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The NPQ concept aligns with the vision of the Coastal Planning Strategy and provides answers to some of the challenges identified in balancing the public's competing interests in coastal management.
Demand for oceanside living has been clearly demonstrated in the demographic shift to the coast around Australia. The NPQ concept provides for a large new transit oriented development within 12km of the Perth CBD that will help to contain urban sprawl and capture the full value of existing public infrastructure. It will also provide for 10,000 new coastal dwellings without impacting on coastal vegetation or fauna habitat.
NPQ poses no threat to the continued operation and expansion of Fremantle Port. The concept's design has taken into account all issues raised by the FPA. Recreational boat traffic will be managed, with entrances to the marina 150m away from the shipping channel.
NPQ road traffic will be completely grade separated from truck and container traffic entering and exiting the Port.
The portion of coastline abutting Rous Head is ideally located to accommodate a marina and activity centre, as proposed by NPQ, and should be identified as such within the PCPS for the following reasons:
The NPQ project provides a unique opportunity to showcase Western Australia as a leader in sustainable coastal urban development with the various initiatives able to be replicated in other coastal development around Australia and the world.
The existing Rous Head groyne is not vulnerable to coastal processes and provides a stable shoreline to accommodate intensive development.
The coastal strip between Trigg and North Fremantle has no convenient and accessible boat facilities. The marinas north and south of this area, Hillarys and South Fremantle, are close to full capacity.
Fremantle Town Centre, which has been identified within the Network City Strategy as a major strategic centre, is limited in its capacity to accommodate increased residential density due to its heritage and building height restrictions. Redevelopment of the North Fremantle area including Leighton Beach and NPQ provides the best opportunity to accommodate future infill development to ensure Fremantle fulfils its strategic centre status.
There is adequate scope and capacity to significantly improve the rail (both heavy and light ) and road transportation linkages (grade separated) between Rous Head to the Fremantle City Centre to accommodate access to a new activity centre.
The 3.5km NPQ sea wall will address Port Beach's erosion problem that threatens the Fremantle Surf Club buildings, restaurant and surrounding infrastructure. NPQ's preliminary advice from coastal engineers is that the correct siting of the seawall will protect Port and Leighton beaches from sand erosion. The natural drift of sand will accrete on those beaches, rather than the seasonal scouring they currently undergo. This advice will be further tested during the detailed design phase of the project.
NPQ will double Fremantle's residential population and provide the critical mass required to support the designated Strategic Centre without compromising the heritage fabric of the town centre. Fremantle is the only strategic centre that does not benefit from an appointed redevelopment authority. It has experienced stagnant growth and been unable to be redeveloped to the extent of the other designated strategic centres.
Currently, The City of Fremantle has declining retail and commercial sectors due to its low residential population, limited infrastructure investment and the development constraints within the town centre. NPQ provides the opportunity to complement the traditional town centre and accommodate the scale of infill development required to sustain an expanded retail and commercial sector.
NPQ will be funded entirely by the private sector and provide significant revenue to the State and Local Government in terms of purchase of Crown land, development and handover of community facilities and assets, stamp duty payments, increased rates revenue, private developer investment, new marinas, increased employment and economic attraction associated with the overall development.
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