This section sets out the key spatial proposals 5 of the Capital City Planning Framework. These are the elements that set the overarching future Physical framework direction for the next generation of city building, to contribute to the growing and changing functions, activities and community in central Perth. It presents central Perth’s evolution in a longer-term vision. These elements are derived from an application of the underlying principles identified in Section 4 to the existing fabric of central Perth, outlined in Section 2. The propositions of the physical framework fall into four main parts: • Setting describes a proposal for the city’s green infrastructure, including its parklands and urban tree canopy, enhancing the contribution to our social and economic wellbeing and Perth’s sense of place. • Activity and Built Form focuses on land use in response to growth in population and the activity, sustainability, and design quality within the future of central Perth. • Movement sets out the vision for the networks for moving in and around central Perth. • Spatial Form amalgamates elements from the previous three sections to spatially envisage a future form of central Perth. As statements of the State Government’s broad strategic directions for central Perth, the propositions outlined are generally of a higher order or conceptual nature. It is intended that greater detail for these concepts will be developed over time, in the context of continued community dialogue and changing circumstances. Capital City Planning Framework Perth 37 5.1 5.1.1 Key concept 1: A city with a these two advantages can help to transform contemporary challenges into opportunities, and Setting reconceived setting will ensure that Perth continues to enjoy the beneficial legacies of its rich environment and The City’s extraordinary setting – the relationship cultural heritage. between built form, landscape and vegetation – is The setting for central Perth is to an asset often celebrated in literature, imagery, be reconceived as a world class, As part of this enlightened approach, we can think guides and plans, and is a fundamental part of multifunctional green network, shaped about green spaces in a new way. Perth’s setting Perth’s identity. Loss of identity is one of the by the City’s sense of place, providing is to be reconceived as a green infrastructure network, delivering a wide range of measurable potential costs of poorly planned growth. Whilst benefits to people and wildlife and central Perth will continue to grow and change ecosystem services (benefits to people and with the rest of the metropolitan area, this change showcasing our unique city-scapes and wildlife) and facilitating sustainable development. will be a positive transformation if it responds to biodiversity. By creating a broader baseline from which the qualities that define Perth. By doing so we will environmental assets are valued, this approach Perth is sold on its strong sense of place, derived build a more liveable, prosperous and robust city. will help to address the cumulative effects of a from a distinctive combination of weather, wide range of drivers, and limit the loss of natural This section explores central Perth’s setting, lifestyle, opportunities, city, park and beach and cultural assets by attrition. looking for its sense of place, and proposes landscapes, unique wildlife and culture. Perth’s some key spatial outcomes for its next phase of economic and environmental wealth places the development. city in an enviable global position. Combining Sense of place Along with the complementary built environment, green infrastructure forms the very fabric of what makes Perth unique in a world sense. The beauty and diversity of the City’s natural and cultural assets form the backdrop to everyday life, encourage people to enjoy healthy outdoor activity, and promote Perth as a destination for tourism, investment and migration. These assets record a rich cultural history and support an amazing variety of plants and animals found only in this region of Australia. When people are asked about central Perth’s sense of place, some constant themes emerge: • the Swan River and Kings Park, primarily as elements of natural beauty against which the city centre and its suburbs are set; • the sense of light and openness in the general landscape; • indigenous plants and birds; and • mature suburbs which include trees, single houses and local activity centres. These attributes are physically embodied in the arrangement of central Perth in its riverside and parkland setting, and its adjoining well- treed suburbs. Enhancing the quality of this juxtaposition and re-conceiving the constituent parts as an integrated whole has the potential to build on our sense of place. Perth’s green infrastructure The City’s multifunctional green network consists of parks, open spaces and reserves, trails, cycle routes, greenways, rivers, lakes, wetlands and streams, along with the wider urban tree canopy. Collectively, these parts can be planned, designed 38 and managed as a network so that the whole is of The following guiding principles set out the future engineer shorelines and drainage routes, whilst more value than the sum of the parts. direction and approach to implementing these at the same time enhancing habitats, improving objectives. aesthetics, and saving money. Biofilters, swales, Effective green infrastructure is characterised by and nutrient stripping ephemeral areas can reduce good connectivity and the capacity to perform pollutant loading and flood waters entering rivers multiple functions. These are important principles Principle 1: Making the most of our land and wetlands, and can be located, designed and for land use in any growing city, where green Perth’s green infrastructure will be strategically planted to be aesthetically pleasing and beneficial spaces must work in tandem with the built developed and implemented as a multifunctional to wildlife. Landscaping with locally native plants environment to perform a wide range of services network, reflecting and enhancing the full range of will reduce water use (and therefore costs) and for the urban population. Connected spaces help social, economic and environmental benefits that improve biodiversity. Urban vegetation can be to future-proof our urban areas from a range these natural and cultural assets can provide. retained and enhanced, and integrated with the of challenges – climate change, the urban heat built environment to positively influence the local island effect, flood risk, biodiversity and water With increasing numbers of people placing climate. management, and create comfortable and demands on natural systems within the context attractive places in which to live, travel, work and of a changing climate, we need smart solutions play. that allow our green fabric to work harder for Principle 3: Inspiring places, uniquely Perth us. Similarly to the way in which we plan for Connectivity for people and wildlife varies across To strengthen Perth’s sense of place, the ‘grey’ infrastructure (for example drains, roads, Perth’s green network. In places it is relatively well contribution of Perth’s natural and cultural water supply pipes), future demands for green expressed, for example along parts of the River environment to the city’s character will be infrastructure functions will be identified, foreshore. In other places connectivity is absent, described and articulated in plans and designs for predicted, measured and planned. The social and under threat, or poorly articulated, for example the city’s future. Sense of place will be supported economic value of green infrastructure will need between Herdsman Lake and Lake Monger, and by retaining and enhancing important natural and to be factored into planning policy and decision between Kings Park and Bold Park. In some areas cultural features within the green infrastructure making. For example, an understanding that well- there are opportunities to better connect parks, network, and by improving the relationship treed streetscapes, parks, and yards enhance open spaces and remnant habitats as part of between the built and green environment. liveability and property values. A climate and built large scale re-development projects, such as the environment regulated by urban trees and open Behind this principle is the need to understand city foreshore, Burswood Peninsula and parts of spaces leads to savings in health care, lower and explain the characteristics of Perth’s green Shenton Park. cooling and heating energy costs. infrastructure and its interrelationship with the built environment. This embraces: Green infrastructure objectives and Principle 2: Harnessing nature for healthy • typical characteristics of everyday city-scapes, principles places and how they vary across Perth - places do not have to be iconic to be important to sense of The outcomes of reconceiving, then enhancing Enhancement of green infrastructure functions place; and connecting Perth’s green infrastructure will be maximised by working at the appropriate include: scale with natural systems to re-vitalise • special or valued places – landmarks, iconic • a resilient and sustainable city, able to adapt to their functions, helping to manage our water views, natural environments and heritage sites; environment, regulate the climate, and safeguard change more efficiently and cost-effectively; • the nature and extent of integration between our natural environments. • reconnection of urban Perth with its natural green