Rockingham city: Plan approved to add housing, transport options and mixed-use development up to 24 storeys

New housing, employment and transport options are coming to Rockingham’s city centre, covering 534ha from the Rockingham train station to the foreshore. The Rockingham strategic centre precinct structure plan, approved by the Department of Planning, Lands and Heritage on January 14, provides a framework for a broader range of apartment living and mixed-use residential development as high as 24 storeys. The increase in dwellings will accommodate up to 30,000 residents who can live close to public transport, shops, services and recreational spaces. Mayor Lorna Buchan said the plan would guide how the centre grew over time. “With this approval in place, we can plan for more housing choice, better connections and improved public spaces while protecting and enhancing what makes Rockingham unique — its coastal lifestyle,” she said. “The city centre plan creates a city heart that works for residents now and into the future.” The plan identifies five distinct precincts: the Waterfront Village, Dixon Road, Defence Innovation and Education Hub, Transit-Oriented Development Village, and the city centre. The City Centre Sub-Precinct plan states the goal is to build an attractive, compact city centre with safe, walkable streets that will be green and pedestrian-friendly, with less focus on cars. Development notes of the plan say new buildings must be at least two storeys, with higher-density housing, shops, and offices in the core. The Waterfront Village Sub-Precinct plan states the goal is to focus on taller buildings and mixed-use development along Rockingham Beach Road, Kent Street and Patterson Road. Residential buildings will be two to four storeys in height while mixed-use areas may reach 16-24 storeys in nominated sites. Development up to 12 storeys is permitted fronting Rockingham Beach Road, increasing to 16 storeys where pedestrian malls are provided between Kent Street and Rockingham Beach Road in defined locations. The former Rockingham Beach Hotel site is permitted for 24 storeys on the former Rockingham Beach Hotel subject to meeting the PSP bonus height criteria. The heritage walls and vegetation is to be retained on the Rockingham Beach Hotel site, and public art is required for developments with 10 or more dwellings or construction over $5 million. “With the city centre plan now in place, the city is well positioned to manage future growth and make the most of emerging opportunities linked to the Western Trade Coast, defence industry, and forthcoming AUKUS‑related activity,” Ms Buchan said. “The city will continue working with residents, landowners, businesses and government partners to ensure development is co-ordinated, sustainable and delivers long‑term benefits for the Rockingham community.”