Iconic Scarborough Lot 601 (No. 10) Scarborough Beach Road, Lot 43 (No. 206) West Coast Highway and Lot 86 (No. 45) Filburn Street, Scarborough Community Needs Analysis July 2021

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Document ID: Projects 2020/Documents/20-047 – Scarborough, Lot 601 Scarborough Beach Road/Project Work/Community Needs Analysis

Issue Date Status Prepared by Approved by

Name Initials Name Initials

V1 27 June 2020 Draft Hayley Campbell Catherine Atoms

HC CA

V2 6 Aug 2020 Draft Catherine Atoms CA Cath Blake-Powell CBP

V3 9 July 2021 Draft Hayley Campbell HC Ben Kent BK

V4 13 July 2021 Final Hayley Campbell HC Ben Kent BK

This report has been prepared for the exclusive use of the Client, in accordance with the agreement between the Client and Element Advisory Pty Ltd (element) (‘Agreement’). element accepts no liability or responsibility whatsoever in respect of any use of or reliance upon this report by any person who is not a party to the Agreement or an intended recipient. In particular, it should be noted that this report is a qualitative assessment only, based on the scope and timing of services defined by the Client and is based on information supplied by the Client and its agents. element cannot be held accountable for information supplied by others and relied upon by element. Copyright and any other Intellectual Property arising from the report and the provision of the services in accordance with the Agreement belongs exclusively to element unless otherwise agreed and may not be reproduced or disclosed to any person other than the Client without the express written authority of element.

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Contents 1. Executive summary ................................................................................................ 5 2. Introduction ............................................................................................................ 7

2.1 Purpose ....................................................................................................................................... 7 2.2 Project background ....................................................................................................................... 7 2.3 Needs analysis framework ............................................................................................................. 7 2.4 Sustainable development .............................................................................................................. 8

3. Social research ..................................................................................................... 10 3.1 Relevant literature ........................................................................................................................ 10 3.2 Population summary ................................................................................................................... 14 3.3 Demographic trends and norms .................................................................................................. 17 3.4 Asset audit ................................................................................................................................. 20 3.5 Comparative study area .............................................................................................................. 21 3.6 Community engagement outcomes ............................................................................................. 22

4. Discussion ............................................................................................................ 24 Appendix one ............................................................................................................ 26

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1. Executive summary

This report provides an account of social research undertaken to determine community benefit for a development at Lot 601 (No. 10) Scarborough Beach Road, Lot 43 (No. 206) West Coast Highway and Lot 86 (No. 45) Filburn Street, Scarborough (the site).

element, as WA’s leading integrated planning, design, engagement, heritage, place, arts and culture, and property economics team, were appointed to this undertaking by 3 Oceans. As such, our needs analysis demonstrates how development of the site will provide community benefit through alignment and delivery in a comprehensive Place, Arts and Culture plan, and associated planning, design and development documents.

Sustainable infrastructure development outcomes are driven by community priorities

Our approach to undertaking a needs analysis centred around strengthening the local identity to remain authentic and resilient. In our study we considered the evolution of the site in the context of Scarborough precinct over time to ensure our recommendations for development of the site assist the precinct to continue on a successful trajectory.

To bring forward a community vision for sustainable development and add value to the community, our multifactor social assessment included a study of normative needs and demographics. This told us what expert opinion, based on research, social trends and standards identify as desirable community needs to generate a more sustainable community.

We built on our understanding of community need as uncovered during our research and engagement throughout 2017 to support 3 Oceans’ development proposal, which was subsequently approved in 2018. By using this information and a strong base to work from, we sought out a number of sources, including literature, published media, community surveys and interviews with stakeholders and community representatives. Rather than rely on what people said they need through consultations, our approach additionally measured and analysed countless data points, including those which were created daily across our study area and surrounding neighbourhoods.

Through audits and a study of expressed needs, observation of current characteristics and patterns of use, we qualified our understanding of the needs, values and behaviours of local people, residents, visitors and businesses and made deductions about suitable community benefit.

To ensure we provided a legitimate, compelling story for community benefit, which will serve Scarborough precinct into the future, we tested our findings and examined what has worked successfully in other comparable communities. This comparison, combined with the broader assessment, enabled us to understand and qualify how the built form could benefit sustainability, social inclusion, urban governance, equity, access to infrastructure, quality of life and productivity.

Community priorities for Scarborough precinct

The following summary of community priorities are the conclusions from our assessment of needs. To deliver suitable provision of community benefit, this report will inform a place plan for the site.

o Cafes, bars and restaurants: A wider range of café, dining and bar options, with a preference for local ownership, protected outdoor spaces, ocean views and West Australian produce.

o Arts, culture, entertainment and recreation: A place to be, to recreate or leisure, additional arts, cultural and recreation outlets and services, notably live music, art galleries, curated spaces and interactive art for ‘selfies’, also buskers, cinema, sporting and equipment hire.

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o Public transport, parking and pedestrian access: Free/affordable parking, easier crossing of West Coast Highway, easy to walk and cycle through the precinct and improvements to public transport.

o Natural amenity: ‘A place to sit’ with views to the ocean or in other ways for all ages to celebrate good weather and enjoy the natural beauty of the area.

o Unique retail offering: Increased retail opportunities, with an inclination for distinctive local retail, boutique and ‘arty’ shops, which reflect local content and laid back vibe and atmosphere.

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2. Introduction

2.1 Purpose The purpose of this report is to provide an account of social research, which was undertaken to determine community benefit for a development at the site of Lot 601 Scarborough Beach Road, Scarborough (the site). element were appointed to this undertaking by 3 Oceans. Our needs analysis demonstrates how development of the site will provide community benefit.

2.2 Project background Scarborough’s renowned cultural landscape is famous for bringing people together in large scale outdoor events and seasonal celebrations. The first stage revitalisation of internationally recognised Scarborough Beach foreshore has transformed and raised the appeal of the precinct as a local residential town centre, as well as a destination for those seeking to enjoy the natural beauty and outdoor lifestyle of Western Australia. Located on one of Scarborough’s most strategic development sites, at the junction of Scarborough Beach Road and West Coast Highway, the site holds the potential to create a destination which stands its ground against local, national and global counterparts, while feeling welcoming, authentic and true to Scarborough. Initial engagement works for the ‘Iconic Scarborough’ development began in 2017 as part of the original Development Application. This methodology was developed in collaboration with the Metropolitan Redevelopment Authority (now DevelopmentWA) and the City of Stirling and included numerous stakeholder briefings, a letterbox drop to over 2,000 residences, a project webpage, two community visioning workshops with over 110 attendees and an online survey receiving 739 responses. In 2018, the Development Application was submitted and subsequently approved. The revitalisation of Scarborough’s foreshore has played an important role in driving the vision of Scarborough as a vibrant destination. Our analysis has carefully considered the current and surrounding context, existing and future population needs. Our assessment will enable the site to play a central role in the precinct to deliver the desired products, services and experiences for community benefit, to help realise the greater community vision and shape opportunities for all.

2.3 Needs analysis framework To ensure our approach was rigorous, given restricted public events during COVID-19, we applied a social needs analysis methodology. Principal to this analysis, our definition of need is drawn from the seminal paper on concepts of need (Bradshaw, 1972) which describes four types:

• Normative needs (demographics) are what expert opinion, based on research, social trends and standards would identify as ‘desirable’ community needs.

• Expressed needs (audits) are what can be inferred about community needs based on observation of current characteristics, for example patterns of use.

• Comparative needs (indicative level of provisions) are what can be derived from examining what has worked successfully in other comparable communities.

• Felt needs (consultations) are what can be inferred by what people say they need.

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2.4 Sustainable development Sustainable urban development in Australia is facilitated by various means, including the Green Building Council of Australia (GBCA) assessment and rating system. The GBCA system rates developments in classes of design, construction, operation of buildings, fit outs and community development. The nine categories and associated credits within the rating system are: management; indoor environment quality; energy; transport; water; materials; land use and ecology; emissions; and innovation. Development at the site aims to achieve a five-star Green Star rating under the Design and As Built component. This commitment has driven improvements in the overall sustainability and performance, as the innovation challenge encourages project teams to go above and beyond what is commonly provided when designing and developing buildings. The GBCA innovation challenge emphasises the importance of a needs analysis to ensure the provision of spaces promote engagement between the community and the building. Examples of these spaces or areas may include a publicly available community space for hire, a food garden, childcare facility, installations by young artists, or space for not-for-profits or start-ups. GBCA defines needs analysis as: an analysis carried out to determine what requirements are sought by the community, separating ‘wants’ from ‘needs’, determining the priorities and giving reasons. In response to the requirements of the innovation challenge, our methods for assessing needs and demonstrating community benefits are outline in the following table.

Table 1 GBCA innovation challenge requirements and our approach Requirement Our approach Perform a ‘needs analysis’ of the surrounding community. This may include community briefings, meetings or workshops;

Our needs analysis centres around a vision to position Scarborough as a great local destination for everyday leisure, entertainment and cultural needs, informed by the following. 

• Literature review

• Population projection for the area

• Demographic trends and norms

• On the ground observations and audits 

• Study and comparisons of similar growth areas 

• Semi-structured interviews 

• Online community questionnaire

• Meetings with stakeholders

• Multi-factor assessment for sustainable development of Lot 601 Scarborough Beach Road.

Develop a strategy for how the project will provide social/community benefits and consult with the broader community on the proposed plan;

Stakeholders who helped inform our analysis of community need include:

• Noongar community leaders

• Public participants

• City of Stirling elected representatives, including the Mayor

• City of Stirling senior staff

• State Government senior staff

• Local landowners

• Representatives from local businesses

• Representatives from local community enterprise organisations

• Community interest groups

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• Local community cultural development networks and groups 

• Sustainability, public art and heritage consultants.

Implement the plan and deliver outcomes as defined by the community benefits strategy.

Our needs analysis includes an overview of our engagement strategy and engagement outcomes report, which has been provided to the design team to guide recommendations for development of the site.

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3. Social research

3.1 Relevant literature During the preliminary research phase, element examined a number of State and local policies and relevant literature to ensure the direction of research is supported by policy and aligns broadly with the vision put forward by stakeholders and community over time.

Metropolitan Redevelopment Authority Act 2011

Under the provisions of the Metropolitan Redevelopment Authority Act 2011 (MRA Act) Development WA is responsible for planning and development control within redevelopment areas in the Perth Metropolitan Region.

The subject site is located within the Scarborough Redevelopment Area (SRA) and is subject to the Scarborough Redevelopment Scheme (the Scheme). The Scheme identifies the subject site as being located within the Beach Road Precinct.

Scarborough Redevelopment Scheme

The Scarborough Redevelopment Scheme (the Scheme) is a statutory document administered by Development WA that sets out provisions for the development and use of land within the SRA. The Scheme has been prepared to facilitate Development WA’s vision for Scarborough which envisages a contemporary urban-coastal experience for a growing residential community, workers and visitors, befitting its role as a key tourist destination.

The Scheme is made up of five Precinct Areas. Under the provisions of the Scheme, the subject site is located within the Beach Road Precinct. The intent for the Beach Road Precinct is ‘to provide a flexible mixed use environment for a diversity of commercial, tourism and medium to high density residential development.’

The development must address the Redevelopment Objectives determined for the SRA as outlined below:

• To build a sense of place by supporting high-quality urban and architectural design, heritage protection, public art and cultural activities that respond to Perth’s environment, climate and lifestyle;

• To promote economic wellbeing by supporting, where appropriate, development that facilitates investment and provides opportunity for local businesses and emerging industries to satisfy market demand;

• To promote urban efficiency through infrastructure and buildings, a mix of land use and facilitating a critical mass of population and employment;

• To enhance connectivity and reduce the need for private vehicular travel by supporting development aimed at well-designed places that support walking, cycling and public transit;

• To promote social inclusion by encouraging, where appropriate, a diverse range of housing and by supporting community infrastructure and activities and opportunities for visitors and residents to socialise; and

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• To enhance environmental integrity by encouraging ecologically sustainable design, resource efficiency, recycling, renewable energy and protection of the local ecology.

Scarborough Master Plan

The Scarborough Master Plan is a collaboration between the State Government, through Development WA, and partner City of Stirling (Stirling). Master Plan drivers include:

• Transform – reposition Scarborough as a contemporary beach destination experience through new beach front attractions (consolidated and well protected) and contemporary urban experiences away from the water’s edge.

• Arrival – create a boulevard environment along Scarborough Beach Road which prioritises pedestrians over cars and facilitates opportunities for improved alfresco dining, better shade and amenity and enhanced public transport and cycling facilities.

• Enable – provide opportunities for a more diverse housing mix, which enables high quality infill, attracts investment and optimises underutilised sites.

The Master Plan identifies the site within Precinct 3 (mixed use) and seeks to achieve specific outcomes relevant to the subject site including a retail / commercial ‘main street’ with high quality landscape, iconic design that enhances view corridors and a focus on access for active transport (bus, cycle and walking, including provision for future light rail).

Within the precinct it is envisioned that commercial development should initially occur along Scarborough Beach Road and West Coast Highway before expanding into adjacent streets.

Scarborough Design Guidelines

The Design Guidelines were adopted in September 2016 and function as the primary planning instrument that establishes requirements for land use and development within the SRA.

The Guidelines builds on the vision for the SRA to create a contemporary urban-coastal experience. It is intended that the urban renewal of Scarborough will:

‘deliver an edgy and attractive urban-coastal environment for people to live, work, visit and socialise in, expanding lifestyle choices and offering attractive alternatives to traditional suburban development’.

Sense of place themes are incorporated into the controls of the Guidelines based on:

• Environmental integration – the land-sea relationship.

• Social harmony, expressed in the three stages of meeting – welcome, inclusiveness, coexistence.

• The representation of the lifecycle in three stages of recreation – safe, edgy, wild / child, youth, adult.

• Cultural difference – a tradition of ‘edginess’.

The Design Guidelines include detailed guidance for designing and assessing development proposals and include standards such as building design and materials, building height and setbacks, car parking and requirements relating to the design of the public realm.

The Guidelines are divided into General and Precinct Specific requirements. The subject site is within the Beach Road Precinct and is subject to the requirements of ‘Beach Road Inner Core’.

Preferred land uses at the site for ground floor are café/restaurant, shop, office, and community facilities. A key development standard is a high level of interaction shall be provided between public and private

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spaces through a combination of: clear glazed shopfronts (no dark tinting or excessive signage); operable windows or bi-fold doors; alfresco areas; balconies, terraces and windows overlooking the street at upper levels; and ground floor levels that follow the natural topography.

Scarborough Redevelopment Area Development Policies

Development Policy 1 – Green Building Design

Development Policy 1 – Green Building Design (DP1) contributes to the Development WA’s vision for creating sustainable urban environments and applies to all new buildings within the SRA.

The objectives of DP1 are as follows:

• To promote the sustainability of redevelopment areas through the development of environmentally sustainable buildings and precincts.

• To support and encourage innovative approaches to sustainable design, construction and management of buildings and precincts.

• To facilitate the design, construction and operation of environmentally sustainable buildings and precincts, that include efficient resource and energy use and reduce emissions and waste.

Development Policy 4 – Providing Public Art

Development Policy 4 – Providing Public Art (DP4) recognises the many benefits of integrating public art into the public realm and sets out the requirements for the provision of public art as part of development of land within the SRA. DP4 applies to all applications for development approval within the SRA that have an estimated construction value equal to or in excess of two million dollars.

The objectives of DP4 are as follows:

• To foster a sense of place and enhance public enjoyment, engagement and understanding of places through the integration of high quality public art that responds to the context of its location.

• To enhance the appearance, character and value of places through the inclusion of high quality public art and to encourage animated and lively public spaces.

• To establish best practice in the commissioning of public art in the development process.

Development Policy 10 – Adaptable Housing

Development Policy 10 – Adaptable Housing (DP10) applies to all multi-unit residential development proposed within the SRA and details the requirements for the delivery of adaptable housing in such developments.

The objectives of DP10 are as follows:

• To facilitate social diversity in the Central Perth Redevelopment Area by providing adaptable housing

• that allows residents to age in place.

• To provide residential development that accommodates the different needs and abilities of residents.

• To promote high levels of housing accessibility for both residents and visitors.

The Policy requires that an accessibility Report is provided demonstrating how the Performance Standards of this policy will be achieved in the development. The performance standards require that a

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minimum of 20% of the total number of residential dwellings (to be rounded down to the nearest whole dwelling) should incorporate the Core Liveable Housing Design Elements advocated by Liveable Housing Australia.

Strategic Community Plan City of Stirling 2016 – 2026

The Strategic Community Plan sets out an ambitious vision for the development of the City over the next 10 years and beyond. City of Stirling Vision:

The City of Stirling will be a place where people choose to live, work, visit and invest. We will have safe and thriving neighbourhoods with a range of housing, employment and recreational opportunities. We will engage with our diverse community to help shape our future into the City of Stirling – City of Choice.

The City of Stirling is the largest local government in Western Australia by population of over 227,000 people across 30 suburbs, and one of the most culturally diverse local government areas. Home to a multicultural community with more than 30 percent of the population speaking a language other than English at home.

Scarborough is cited amongst the top of the City’s major attractions as a popular summer playground and top surf spot, with the tourism industry contributing an estimated $470 million to the local economy each year and employing around 2,300 people.

The plan notes a growing population in the City of Stirling and metropolitan Perth generally as a key driver of change. In 2015 the population was estimated at over 227,000 in the City of Stirling. It is estimated to grow to over 278,000 by 2026, an anticipated increase of over 50,000 people.

Demand for housing, travel, water, energy and jobs will rise as a consequence and the City of Stirling will have to respond creatively to manage these pressures to keep the City thriving, attractive and liveable in the future. The population will also be ageing, shifting demand for health services and social care and creating new opportunities for active retirement and volunteering.

The Scarborough Beach Redevelopment and the construction of a $26 million 50 metre outdoor heated Scarborough Beach Pool was projected to transform it into a premier tourist location. The City of Stirling reports more than 200 services to its community including recreation centres, libraries, home and community care, security and events. It plans to deliver an array of leisure activities, high quality retail, restaurants and development potential to remain a hub for economic and tourist activity.

City of Stirling Arts and Events Plan 2018/19-2021/22

The City of Stirling Arts and Events Plan 2018/19-2021/22 (Arts and Events Plan). While the City of Stirling does have arts and cultural provision throughout the local government area, they lack indoor opportunities for arts and culture in the Scarborough precinct.

The Arts and Events Plan reported that while city residents were happy with the overall arts and cultural services and events, 72% would like to see greater provision. Residents also agree that arts and events ‘make the city more active and vibrant’ (87%) and they ‘bring the local community together’ (82%).

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3.2 Population summary Scarborough has a growing population, currently containing over 17,000 individuals. It is characterised as youthful, culturally diverse, economically comfortable and reliant on private vehicles for transport. An analysis of the local Scarborough population uncovers a community of young, educated and upwardly-mobile adults.

Age: There is a significantly higher proportion of Scarborough residents aged between 20 and 39 when compared to Greater Perth, representing a distinctly younger adult community. Conversely there are fewer children and teens (5-19) and older adults (50+) living in Scarborough compared to Greater Perth.

Household composition: Supporting the above analysis, there are significantly more couples with no children living in Scarborough than Greater Perth. There are also proportionately more non-family households (e.g. share houses) than one-family households.

Dwellings: 50% of the dwellings in Scarborough are semi-detached or terraced properties, and 65% of the properties have 3 or more bedrooms.

Marital status: There are more locals who are either not married or in de facto relationships than those who are married. This is much more pronounced than Greater Perth.

Education: The Scarborough community is highly educated with more people gaining undergraduate or postgraduate tertiary qualifications than Greater Perth.

Employment: Almost 90% of the population of Scarborough is in full or part-time employment, 30% in professional occupations.

Income: The median household income in Scarborough is just a little higher than that for Greater Perth.

As Scarborough’s population grows it is anticipated empty nesters and retirees will seek to ‘right size’, making the projected future dwellers of larger apartments to be older couples (between 50 and 75). Projected future residents (buyers and renters) of smaller apartments in Scarborough include some younger buyers (at approximately 10%), downsizers (20%) and investors (70%).

Population details

Scarborough has a relatively youthful population when compared to Western Australia (WA) with 26.6% of its residents being aged between 25-34 years of age (with WA at 15.4%). Interesting changes in the population demographics include a growing young workforce as well as growth in empty nesters and retirees.1

Changes in the age structure of Scarborough from 2011-2016 in comparison to the wider Greater Perth region include:

• Young workforce (25 to 34) (+1,301 people)

• Parents and homebuilders (35 to 49) (+808 people)

• Tertiary education and independence (18 to 24) (-551 people)

• Empty nesters and retirees (60 to 69) (+462 people)

1 Sources: Australian Bureau of Statistics (2017) and id. Consulting Pty Ltd (2020)

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Figure 1 Scarborough's Age Structure with Greater Perth as a Comparison

In Scarborough, 33.1% of the population are from a birthplace other than Australia, with England (8%), New Zealand (4.3%), Brazil (2.6%), South Africa (2.2%) and Ireland (2.1%) being the top countries of birth outside of Australia.

These concentrations are all higher than the State and Greater Perth averages, signalling that Scarborough is a significant residential destination for predominantly English speaking migrants, which is likely to be accompanied by a greater awareness of international perspectives.

Figure 2 Top birthplaces in Scarborough

67%

8%

4%

3%2%2%

14%

Australia England New Zealand Brazil South Africa Ireland Other

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Household composition

The household and family composition in Scarborough is orientated towards young couples without children (49.5% compared to 38.5% for WA) who earn 30% above the state median household income.

There is a higher proportion of single and group housing compositions within Scarborough compared to WA, where 41.0% of households make this category compared to 37.4% of WA households. This indicates that the nature of Scarborough’s residential makeup is different to the nuclear family set-up, which is more common throughout greater Perth and Western Australia.

In Scarborough, there is a greater amount of the population who rent compared to the WA population at 41% and 28.3% respectively.

Transport preference

Residents of Scarborough in the main use private transport when travelling to work, with 72.6% (70.4% in WA) of people choosing private transport modes. This reflects limitations in available active transport options to access areas of Perth other than the CBD.

Figure 3 Residents of Scarborough mode of transport to work

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3.3 Demographic trends and norms Nine significant trends and norms have been drawn together from desktop research, consultations, audits and observations within the community. These are important influences in the determination of normative needs to deliver a more sustainable future. The nine significant influences are the following.

Always was, always will be

In 2020, the NAIDOC Week theme was ‘always was, always will be,’ which recognises that First Nations people have occupied and cared for this continent for over 65,000 years. The recognition of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people as Australia’s first explorers, navigators, engineers, farmers, botanists, scientists, diplomats, astronomers and artists is more and more at the front of our thinking.

Acknowledgement of First Nations people celebrates the world’s oldest oral stories and that First Peoples engraved the world’s first maps, made the earliest paintings of ceremonies, invented unique technologies and built and engineered structures that predate well-known ancient sites such as the Egyptian pyramids or Stonehenge.

This acknowledgement and growing appreciation is accompanied by seeking out and presenting opportunities for people to see, hear and learn the 65,000+ year history of this country, which was criss-crossed by generations.

Arts and culture fuels place creation

Arts and culture within a place has the ability to promote and drive positive economic and social outcomes at a local level and thus contribute effectively to help shape the identity of a place. This notion is backed by evidence which points to increased arts and culture being positively linked to:

• Desirable places to live.

• Stronger communities, collective identity and community cohesion.

• Attracting and retaining people to live and work and maintain work-life balance.

• Economic growth and more specifically benefiting high streets.

The presence of strong local arts and cultural communities is a factor for people considering moving to an area and for people remaining within an area. It has been cited as an equal priority to ‘schools’ in people’s decision to move to or remain in an area.

The art and culture pull factor is equally important to someone employed in a high-skilled job as to someone seeking employment in a lower skilled role, meaning it can support a broad range of employers across different sectors to attract workers.

Biophilic urban design leads to better health

Across the fields of urban design, planning, architecture, landscape architecture and social planning, there is a growing body of research supporting awareness and bottom line arguments about the value of embracing nature in and through our urban environment and built form.

The case for adopting biophilic urban design principles at all scales of development is increasingly considered critical. We better understand the role biophilic urban design plays at a city scale and through built form in addressing costly issues such as public mental health and overall wellbeing, urban heat island effect and air quality control.

Once we fundamentally recognise embedding natural elements in our urban environments is essential to our ability to function and develop, getting this right will remain a central factor in the long-term success, health and ultimately sustainable development of our cities.

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All-ages thrive in vibrant environments

An intergenerational approach to housing supply is accompanied by recognition of the similarities across different age groups in the desirable qualities of mixed-density, mixed-use developments, which are far greater than differences. Design of a multi age precinct (MAP) focuses on intergenerational living with a number of features essential to promote vibrant and diverse communities. Specifically, these are preferences for:

• Mixed use, mixed density, mixed age communities.

• Flexible design that accommodates people in all stages of life.

• Encouraging a strong sense of community within the resident community and between the residents and the broader community in which they are situated.

• Access to most services within walking distance and other services via public transport.

An assessment tool for a MAP created by Perth ALIVE2 elaborates a number of the community benefits referenced in the design codes State Planning Policy 7.3 Residential Design Codes Vol 2 – Apartments (2019) (2.8) as having the potential to be exchanged for additional development or flexibility (e.g. additional plot ratio and/or building height).

A sense of place can be seeded

Creating a sense of place and community is a guiding principle in designing liveable and high-quality built environments. Sense of place is not predetermined phenomenon but is created from interaction between people and places.

In the urban context, constructed places are both inherited and created by those who live there. Place meaning can be constructed through storytelling, interpretation, learning from community members, and sharing stories as well as through representation of places through narratives, music, photographs, or other forms that encourage dialogue and reflection about what places are and how they can be experienced.

Other social activities, such as collective art-making, restoring local natural areas, or planting a community garden, can contribute to a collective sense of place which values ecological aspects of place. New socially constructed place meanings can in turn help to promote community engagement in preserving, transforming, or creating places with unique characteristics.

With the global population increasingly residing in cities, we are seeing new approaches to understanding place and the contribution of genii locorum (spirit of place) to human flourishing, ecological justice, and biological and cultural diversity.

The experience economy

Gilmore and Pine’s theory is, in economies of mass affluence people are more interested in paying for an experience than paying to own things. The memory of the experience becomes the product.

Typically, economists have lumped experiences in with services, but experiences are now considered a distinct economic offering, as different from services as services are from goods. Today we identify and describe this economic offering because consumers unquestionably desire experiences, and more and more businesses are responding by explicitly designing and promoting them.

As services, like goods before them, increasingly become commoditised, experiences have emerged in the progression of economic value to be seen as desirable ‘things’.

2 https://perthalive.files.wordpress.com/2020/05/maps-assessment-tool-28-sept-2019-rev-28sep2019.pdf

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The social economy

While the service and experience economies have not disappeared, these economies are now being viewed through the lens of the social economy. In the social economy, people carry ‘friends in their pockets’ to be always sharing experiences. We text, chat, livestream, zoom, share digital ‘face time’ or videos and photos.

In the social economy, it’s not good enough to simply do, you have to tell people before it becomes real. In short, pics or it didn’t happen.

In the social economy, the sharing of and connecting with others about the experience becomes the product. This is accompanied by the arrival, popularity and importance of the art shot, the centre piece to say for example we are ‘in Scarborough today’.

Walkable neighbourhoods hold a key

Walkscore.com now rates over 10,000 neighbourhoods in almost 3,000 cities across the United States, Canada, and Australia. The authors maintain “walkable neighbourhoods with access to public transit, better commutes, and proximity to the people and places you love are the key to a happier, healthier and more sustainable lifestyle.”

A score of 50 gets across a threshold from car dependent to somewhat walkable. Seventy is very walkable and above 90 is classified as a ‘walkers paradise’.

Perth overall has a score of 50 and Northbridge scores the highest walkability score (95). The site has a walk score of 75 out of 100. Meaning the site location is very walkable and most errands can be accomplished on foot.

Hyper localism and post-COVID workplaces

Daily rhythms of how locals spend their time have been fundamentally changed due to the direction for us all significantly change our work patterns during COVID-19. Of all the living situations where this is having a big impact, urban areas, which have established strong, local social fabric, values, traditions, activities, and connections are being seen to respond with resilience.

As we continue to reform to a new normal, we are more attuned to fostering diverse, socially connected residential communities, with stronger place attachment than ever. Early analysis of sentiment has shown for those people for whom working from home is an option, it remains highly desirable. As our urban areas respond in the trend towards hyper localism, we will see a shift towards more dynamic residential communities, home-based businesses and collaboration hubs.

As city making conversations unfold in response to the pandemic and recovery plans, we are adapting, building new technology and finding ways to put citizens at the centre of making places great. The evolving opportunity is to grow communities and local business ecosystems together like never before. The logical trend is towards more hot-desk or co-working opportunities.

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3.4 Asset audit Memorably laid back and friendly, Scarborough is highly regarded as one of Perth’s most urbanised and populated coastal areas. Figure 4 shows an asset audit, which identifies the distribution of activities and services around the intersection of Scarborough Beach Road and West Coast Highway (WCH). The area to the east of the site has a greater residential character, which is reflected in the lower number of food, beverage and commercial premises on the east side of WCH compared to provision on the beachside.

Figure 4 Asset audit place map

Aside from depicting the spatial distribution of activities and services being primarily located on the western side of West Coast Highway, the asset audit found the following:

• Art and cultural opportunities are primarily focussed on outdoor events and seasonal celebrations, with limited indoor visual, performance and creative spaces.

• Retail options are limited to supermarket groceries and surf-based stores.

Notably a scan to the east of the site and wider scan of the City of Stirling flags a very low provision of arts and culture. There are no indoor performance spaces, theatres or cinemas in the area; the only art exhibition space has been at Artspace the community arts collective 670m to the east on Scarborough Beach Road (until their shutdown owing to COVID-19 protocols). The closest cinema is 5km away in Innaloo.

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The Scarborough foreshore is also home to numerous regular and ephemeral events, including the Scarborough Sunset Markets (summer), Scarborough Sunset Markets (winter edition), The Aussies surf lifesaving championships, Sunset Applause, Brazilian Beach Carnival, Groundswell Festival, and various live music and sporting events that take place on the beach or in the amphitheatre.

3.5 Comparative study area Our team drew upon Cronulla in the Sutherland Shire of NSW as a case study to explore what was on offer in a comparable community environment. Renowned for being a charismatic and relaxed beach side town, Cronulla as a place holds a different, yet still highly recognisable identity and outdoor lifestyle enjoyed by residents and visitors alike.

Along the direct beach front, there are a variety of medium height residential and multi-use developments as well as plans for larger developments, including a 21-storey hotel.

The demographics of Cronulla are similar to Scarborough’s, with the largest single age-group being aged between 25-29 years. Of the Cronulla residents 41% are renters and 55.7% own their home, closely reflecting Scarborough’s tenure patterns (41% rent, 56.3% own).

With a population similar to Scarborough’s at 18,070 people, Cronulla presents a snapshot of how medium to high-density development could foster an environment conducive to a culture of laid back coastal living.

Cronulla hosts a number of annual outdoor events and festivals, including Spring Festival, Sutherland Shire's biggest annual community event. Spring Festival is located back from the beach and hosts artisan stalls, live music, a variety of food trucks, community performances, amusement rides, face painting, a petting zoo and local breweries in a pop-up bar.

The Walk the Walls festival is an annual arts event, adding to the vibe of this beach suburb. The Cronulla Tunnel Gallery is activated as part of Walk the Walls festival, which is aimed at bringing people inland from the beach to explore beautified rail corridors and laneways.

A significant difference between our site and the study area is the presence of the train line, which terminates at Cronulla Station 300 metres short of the beach. The station at Cronulla is situated at the southern end of the Cronulla Mall and from it is a short walk through the mall and down to the beach. Along the way there is a choice of dozens of cafes or restaurants with a range of cost and menu options.

Cronulla has successfully incorporated multi-performance venues to provide vibrancy and a great mix of land uses. Arts and culture amenities are integrated throughout the suburb with success. Notable examples include an outdoor mall and beach front reserve with year round programming, dance and performance schools, a small art gallery, art and craft supply stores, art classes, a community theatre, live performance stages at bars, clubs and pubs, art framing services, various art spaces. These types of arts and culture outlets are noticeably absent in Scarborough precinct.

Cronulla predominantly has integrated night-time entertainment and a mix of arts and culture successfully into a coastal location, which incorporates urban density along the coast to provide vibrancy and urban amenity. Comparatively, Cronulla demonstrates how arts and culture outlets can be incorporated into a beachside urban destination to successfully serve the local community while retaining a relaxed and friendly vibe.

So successful is the Cronulla area as a destination, anyone familiar with the Cronulla-Sutherland Shire will recognise the sentiment, which is commonly expressed “once you live in the Shire, you never leave the Shire”.

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3.6 Community engagement outcomes A desktop review of relevant supporting literature and strategic documents in combination with the preliminary gap analysis has helped to uncover opportunities in the Scarborough precinct. Understanding these gaps and to what degree they represent unmet needs was the focus of community engagement.

We drew on our extensive engagement insights uncovered during 2017, when we delivered numerous stakeholder briefings, a letterbox drop to over 2,000 residences, a project webpage, two community visioning workshops with over 110 attendees and an online survey receiving 739 responses.

Using these key insights as a strong base, we recommenced engagement in June 2020, which centred around stakeholder interviews, meetings with community groups and a community questionnaire, open from 3 July 2020 to 7 August 2020.

When we design consultation programs within the context of a needs analysis, we frequently include a mix of face-to-face events (such as interviews) and programmed activities for interaction in public spaces (like workshops) to understand how to activate the area and build social connection.

During our 2020 engagement period large gathering and face-to-face events, from parks, to barbecues, to pop-up events, and festivals have been off the table (owing to COVID-19 protocols). This presented a specific challenge to bring citizens together when the usual means of connecting people is not an option. To meet a level of rigor in our assessment, we took two specific, important actions.

Firstly, we set our engagement up within the broader context of a social needs analysis. This enabled us to provide a more complete picture to better understand the trade-offs, which must occur with any significant change.

Secondly, we reached out to engage with and ensured participation from a wide variety of stakeholders, community members and community group representatives. The details of the engagement survey are provided in the Engagement Outcomes Report (Appendix one).

Key stakeholder groups were invited to participate to answer a series of questions about their long-term vision of Scarborough; public realm spaces; preference of facilities; and site connectivity. Our engagement included a significant number of meetings with cultural stakeholders, to better understand what we found were the gaps and potential for arts and cultural offer and public art.

The results from an online survey questionnaire provided insight to community desires for the site and surrounds. Community respondents felt they needed more restaurants, bars, live music and performance venues and arts markets and arts activities. Many respondents would like to see an integration of café or casual dining with an open, outdoor area and mentioned beer gardens, rooftop bars and cinema as some possible activities. The word cloud below shows popular responses to what is desired.

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4. Discussion

In alignment with the Scarborough Redevelopment Area’s Redevelopment Objectives, the following information is provided by element to the client for consideration by the project team to ensure the proposal is closely aligned with community priorities and vision for Scarborough Redevelopment Area.

The community needs analysis has identified a number of community priorities within the Scarborough precinct. These are provided in the executive summary of this report. The following discussion brings together the important trends and research outcomes, which informed the assessment of priorities.

Understand what is important to locals to shape a sense of place

Scarborough is widely recognised as a desirable destination and heralded as a place which brings people together. The unique ocean foreshore reserve has been designed to attract people to sporting and recreation events, with a surround of restaurants, cafes, bars, tourism and hotels. A number of predominantly large outdoor events occur annually or regularly and create opportunities for health and wellbeing, political expression, community dialogue, shared cultural experiences, and civic work.

The popular community-based events are building a new Scarborough and bringing members of the community together to solve problems, build relationships, and get involved in ways which are remaking Scarborough as a great place to be.

Creation of places that nurture strong, resilient communities doesn’t happen from day one. The trick to fostering a sense of place is in tracking a neighbourhood’s evolution over time to nurture the local identity while it takes time to seed and grow. As Scarborough is growing, there is a strong and clear need for amenity ‘back from the beach’.

Community desires, which are back from the beach, include ‘a place to go, where you don’t have to pay for something’. Additionally, community are seeking access to a greater variety of restaurants, with many preferring to enjoy casual dining integrated with access to open, outdoor areas for children to play.

Live performance venues are highly sought after especially accompanied by all-ages areas and with casual bars or beer gardens. While the heart of Scarborough is alternative and arty, there is no physical heart for the arts and cultural communities to come together, which presents an obvious opportunity for the site.

Noted, there is strong community preference for landscaping to include native coastal vegetation.

Attract and retain people to live and work to ensure economic wellbeing and urban efficiency

For the site to meet local needs into the future, it is widely appreciated that a sustainable development is one that the community can engage and interact with, which can be a centre of activity for the community, a meeting place, a place of cultural significance, and a source of pride to local residents.

The site is ideally located as a hub for connected hyperlocal communities, where people live and work in a walkable catchment. Research indicates the local arts and cultural offer is a factor for people considering moving to an area and for people to remain within an area. These findings support a notion that a strong local arts and cultural offer can play a role in attracting and retaining workers.

Further, the community is keen to welcome urban vibrancy, facilitated by a local population with a range of unique hospitality and retail opportunities that utilise local West Australia produce.

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Of all the trends which have informed this study, the link between wellbeing and urban built form could be said to be ‘as old as the hills’, and one to keep in mind. As the potential for urban form to attract people to live and work, the importance of this as inspiration for design excellence is central.

Celebrated entryways draw people in

The prominence of the site calls for a coherent arrival statement, and legible pedestrian access which will enhance walking, cycling and public transit to ensure the site has a role to play in connectivity.

Celebrated entryways would enhance the public realm, and (to become a site of significance for arts and cultural practitioners), prominent entryways are a beacon to increase the visibility of what is on offer.

Working together, a visibly strong arts and cultural concept could draw in and enhance the attractiveness of the site as a place to live, work and visit by offering unique experiences for visitors and/or shoppers.

This might be through the animation of public spaces, event-based wayfinding to encourage exploratory pedestrian movement, artwork installations, live performances, or opportunities for local culture to be explored and celebrated.

Pedestrian movement is enhanced by a design response which allows for all-ages ‘sandy feet’ living.

Multi age precincts make space for social inclusion and environmental integrity

The site is an opportunity to promote social inclusion by encouraging a suitably diverse range of housing, and by supporting community infrastructure and activities, and opportunities for visitors and residents to socialise and be accommodated for at all ages of living.

Design of a MAP focuses on intergenerational living with a number of features essential to promote vibrant and diverse communities. The social benefits of MAPs are well known, such as improved vibrancy and wellbeing. However, MAPs have many environmental and economic benefits being linked to reducing carbon footprint and reducing the cost associated with urban sprawl.

An assessment tool for multi age precincts (MAPs) created by Perth ALIVE elaborates a number of community benefits as having the potential to be exchanged for additional development. These include: access to public open space (square, neighbourhood plaza, village green) where residents and neighbours can come together for diverse reasons; and, Governance arrangements and resources are identified to enable the local community to activate, sustain and manage a community hub.

The community consistently referred to ‘family friendly’ development throughout engagements as well as presenting egalitarian values, highlighting the need to create spaces, which everyone can enjoy.

Community priorities for Scarborough precinct

The following summary of community priorities are the conclusions from our assessment of needs. To deliver suitable provision of community benefit, this report will inform a place plan for the site.

o Cafes, bars and restaurants: A wider range of café, dining and bar options, with a preference for local ownership, protected outdoor spaces, ocean views and West Australian produce.

o Arts, culture, entertainment and recreation: A place to be, to recreate or leisure, additional arts, cultural and recreation outlets and services, notably live music, art galleries, curated spaces and interactive art for ‘selfies’, also buskers, cinema, sporting and equipment hire.

o Public transport, parking and pedestrian access: Free parking, easier crossing of West Coast Highway, easy to walk and cycle through the precinct and improvements to public transport.

o Natural amenity: ‘A place to sit’ with views to the ocean or in other ways for all ages to celebrate good weather and enjoy the natural beauty of the area.

o Unique retail offering: Increased retail opportunities, with an inclination for distinctive local retail, boutique and ‘arty’ shops, which reflect local content and laid-back vibe and atmosphere.

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Appendix one

Level 18, 191 St Georges Tce, Perth WA 6000

T. (08) 9289 8300 – E. hello@elementwa.com.au

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