Fifteen years after talks first began about revitalising the underutilised site, work has finally commenced on the Bentley Redevelopment Project.
Stage One of the project is now underway, with civil contractors Ertech carrying out land remediation and subdivision activities.
This stage includes the creation of 46 residential lots, ranging from 183 square metres to 416 square metres, two residential development sites, and three new public open spaces.
Significant remediation works are also being carried out across a larger area to ensure the site is safe and suitable for the construction of future homes.
These works mark the beginning of transforming the 30-hectare site into a new residential community, set to include 800 to 1,000 homes, including social and affordable housing, just eight kilometres from Perth’s CBD.
Until now, the land in the area has remained vacant for over a decade due to several plans from both private developers and various governments failing to get off the ground.
Most recently, the failure to find a suitable developer for the Bentley 360 project led to its abandonment, despite the demolition of Brownlie Towers in 2019.
This led to the state government launching the current redevelopment plan in February of this year, with DevelopmentWA, a state government agency, overseeing the project.
WA Lands and Housing Minister John Carey believes the redevelopment will provide a major boost to the long-term housing supply in Perth.
“The Cook Labor Government is getting on with delivering our record $3.6 billion investment in housing and homelessness measures, and a key part to this is driving urban renewals across key sites – including Bentley,” Mr Carey said.
“Bentley is well located to and in close proximity to key transport hubs, the Perth CBD and community amenities including local schools.”
City of Canning Mayor Patrick Hall said the commencement of the project is “significant and long-awaited,” and the City will continue to work with DevelopmentWA to ensure the full potential of the area is realised.
“The Bentley Redevelopment Project is a significant urban renewal project that brings about great opportunities for the revitalisation of Bentley,” Mayor Hall said.
“The City of Canning expects that the completed project will deliver on its promise of breathing new life into the area by delivering a diverse range of quality housing options, as well as parklands and community amenities.”
According to the project’s draft Master Plan, one in every seven homes across the precinct will be designated for social or affordable housing.
At last month’s Canning Council meeting, some members of the community expressed concerns about the number of social housing dwellings proposed in the redevelopment, questioning what the City would do to ensure community concerns are being heard by DevelopmentWA.
Speaking to the Examiner newspaper, Mayor Hall said the City had been advocating for the proposed social housing mix to focus on seniors and single-person households.
“It is undeniable that Bentley has not realised its potential, partly due to its historically high provision of social housing, which contributed to high incidences of antisocial behaviour linked to complexes such as Brownlie Towers,” he said.
“The City understands that a key consideration for investors in the area is likely to involve perceptions of safety, and we will continue to work with DevelopmentWA to ensure that the social housing component of the project is delivered in a way that will not jeopardise the opportunities brought about by the regeneration of the area.
“The project represents an opportunity to “change the status quo and improve the liveability of Bentley and its surrounds.”
The Master Plan for the Bentley Redevelopment Project is set to be finalised in Autumn 2025.
