Based on current modelling (which can be viewed via the City’s Coastal vulnerability in Cockburn), without significant intervention there is a high risk that the coastal path, bridge footings on the western side of the railway line, Robb Road and the rail line itself may be affected by coastal erosion. A map of the bridge concept with the current anticipated coastal erosion lines overlaid (out to 2110 including two different projections of sea level rise), is available to view in the document below.
GHD was commissioned by the City in mid-2024 to prepare a new Coastal Hazard Risk Management and Adaptation Plan (CHRMAP). This is highly complex specialist work that is not expected to be complete until at least mid-2026.
The City has also been monitoring the fringing reef installation off C.Y. O’Connor Beach, which if successful may be a more financially viable option in reducing coastal erosion than more traditional methods (seawalls, groynes, etc).
It would not be prudent to spend City ratepayer and developer funding on infrastructure which is at risk of coastal erosion.
In the interim, the City is seeking to resolve land tenure arrangements with the Western Australian Planning Commission who own all the land west of the railway line. This is also complex as this land has been subject to contamination, and the City’s ratepayers will be inheriting significant liabilities associated with protecting additional infrastructure subject to coastal processes.
A further complication to the bridge is the design parameters imposed by the Public Transport Authority and freight rail line operator (ARC Infrastructure), that include a requirement to accommodate double-stacked freight traffic. In combination with mandatory universal access requirements, this adds significant length and cost to the bridge.
Of importance, the pedestrian bridge is part of a Development Contribution Plan 13 item (Cockburn Coast Foreshore) for which the City is collecting part of the funding. This means that the City currently has a statutory obligation to program and build it. This could change, however it would involve a complex local planning scheme amendment process, that takes substantial time (including a minimum 60 day public consultation process and final determination by the Minister for Planning).
For the reasons outlined above, at this time it is difficult to anticipate when the bridge may be installed.
In time, the planned rail crossing at the future extension of Jetty Avenue may provide a comparable access distance for existing residents to the beach. Development WA has not indicated when this crossing might be installed, but due to similar complexities and costs, is unlikely to be considered in the absence of significant further development in the area.
In the interim, the existing pedestrian crossing at Rollinson Road is already at a comparable distance to some residents (given the gradient of the proposed bridge, its length is substantial at approximately 330m).
In theory yes, however there are also good reasons not to do so.
While not formally part of the developers ten percent public open space (POS) requirement, the park is part of Development WA’s obligation to manage contamination removed from the broader development. Bridge construction will require the use of heavy machinery including cranes that will cause significant disturbance to the surrounding land. Beneath the park there is a geo-textile layer to contain this material – it is highly undesirable to disturb this layer once it is in place. Restoring any damage caused to either the geo-textile layer or landscaping would add significant costs to the overall project.
Rapidly escalating construction costs associated with the higher-density form of development envisioned and mandated for this area has also led to slow land sales and very little income being generated by the project. For these reasons Development WA has advised that they will not develop the park until the issues associated with the bridge are resolved, and it can be installed ahead or at the same time.
In the interim, Development WA continue to advance the design for the park, to ensure it can be delivered as soon as the site is deconstrained and the necessary funding is available.
Importantly, open spaces which are part of the statutory ten percent POS requirement have already been delivered, in particular Anchorage, Reinforcement and Gage Parks, which include a variety of spaces for resident enjoyment. In this context the City has no ability to compel Development WA to deliver the Civic Park.
The City initially intended to construct Stage 1 (the playing surface) in 2022. However, the pre-tender estimate significantly exceeded the available budget due to the current global economic conditions of high inflation, high construction costs and a tight labour market.
The City has taken possession of the oval land, but is yet to make payment to Development WA. It is obligated to do so (at an approximate cost of $10M) in the 2025-26 FY. The design of the oval has been completed, however at this stage the City has no set timeframe to commence development.
Each of the City’s future capital works projects are reviewed annually as part of its budgeting process. Until such time as substantive additional development occurs in the area to assist project funding, increase the resident catchment and enhance passive surveillance of the facility, this project will likely struggle to be prioritised against other capital works projects across the City.