Corridor Plan for Perth

The 1970 Corridor Plan for Perth provided a strategic framework for planning the growth of the metropolitan region of Perth, Western Australia. The Plan superseded the 1955 Plan for the Metropolitan Region and established the principles on which the Metropolitan Regional Planning Authority would consider amendments to the Metropolitan Region Scheme.[1] A review of the plan was completed in 1987, followed by the preparation and adoption of the 1990 Metroplan.[2]

The Corridor Plan for Perth
Created1970
Commissioned byMetropolitan Region Planning Authority
PurposeRegional planning strategy

Background

In 1966 the MRPA commenced a review of the Region Scheme with the intent of determining whether the future expansion of Perth should occur via "clusters" or "corridors". Theoretical debate over the merits of these two theories occurred throughout the late 1960s, and similar plans had been prepared for Sydney and

The MRPA eventually settled on the application of corridor planning principles as the right approach for Perth in February 1969, and commenced detailed planning of the Armadale corridor[3] before moving on to complete a plan for the whole of the metropolitan area by November 1970.

The intent of the Plan was to accommodate future development of the metropolitan region whilst maximising economic efficiency.[4] In this, it complimented the Perth Regional Transportsation Study published in January 1970 which concluded that "corridor planning provides the most economic transport system for the Region".[1]

Structure
  1. Introduction to the Corridor Plan
  2. The Structure of the Corridor Plan
  3. The Corridor Plan: Development Strategy
  4. The Corridor Plan: Development Proposals
  5. Implementation of the Corridor Plan
  6. Conclusion
Appendix: Capital Cities: A Comparison of Corridor Plans

Recommendations

The Plan included a number of key predictions and recommendations as follows:

  • Large areas of open space to be located between the corridors.
  • The development of the sub-regional centres of Armadale, Joondalup, Whitfords, Rockingham and Midland.
  • A comprehensive, high-speed bus service to provide public transport to the region. This was to include bus lanes in existing railway reserves converging on the CBD.
  • Suburban train facilities to be progressively suspended between Perth and MIdland, Armadale and Fremantle.
  • That water resources and their management be recognised as major determinant in the sustainable development of the metropolitan region.

Reception and criticism

Academic Dave Hedgecock describes the 1960s as a time when academic and professional consensus around metropolitan planning began to collapse.[5] The Corridor Plan represented a paradigm shift away from “planning by design” to “planning by science”[6] and never achieved the level of support enjoyed by the earlier Stephenson-Hepburn plan. It remained controversial through its preparation and period of operation.

Almost immediately following the release of the plan, the state government appointed Paul Ritter to provide comment on the plan. He was critical, and proposed an alternative directional grid pattern of development that focussed growth around the existing city centre.[7]

Simultaneously, an Honorary Royal Commission into the plan was initiated by the Legislative Council in 1971. The purpose of the commission was to enquire into and report on the preparation of the Corridor Plan. The Commission completed its investigation in 1972. The commission concluded that the corridor planning concept was sound in principle, but identified a number of deficiencies in the report presentation and proposed implementation. The findings of the commission did not lead to a formal review of the plan, and the MRPA published its own report defending the Plan against criticism.

Passenger services on the Fremantle line were suspended on 1 September 1979, in line with the recommendations of the Plan. The closure led to a public backlash and the service was reinstated on 29 July 1983 following a change of government.

A review of the Plan commenced in 1985 due to deficiencies in the population projections which had anticipated a metropolitan population of 1.4 million by 1989--approximately 250,000 short of the actual numbers. The Plan also incorrectly identified sub-regional centres as the primary source of non-CBD based employment growth, when in reality most employment growth occurred in the inner City suburbs around the central area.[4]

References
  1. Corridor Plan for Perth. Perth, Western Australia: The Metropolitan Region Planning Authority. 1970.
  2. Lennon, Michael (2020). "The revival of metropolitan planning". In Freestone, Robert; Hamnett, Stephen (eds.). Australian Metropolis: A Planning History. Routledge. ISBN 978-1136888274.
  3. Clark, Roger (2010). An Historical Geography of Recreational Land Use in the Perth Metropolitan Area, 1829-1969 (Thesis). University of Western Australia. p. 161.
  4. Hill, Jr., Louis R. (2005). "Guiding Perth's Growth: A Regional Perspective". Berkeley Planning Journal. 18 (1). doi:10.5070/BP318111504.
  5. Hedgecock, David; Yiftachel, Oren (1989). "The Planning of Perth's Changing Form-Invention or Convention?". Australian Planner. 27 (1): 6–11. doi:10.1080/07293682.1989.9657405.
  6. Diane MacCallum, Diane Hopkins, The changing discourse of city plans: rationalities of planning in Perth, 1955 - 2010 (2010) Curtin University of Technology.
  7. Ritter, Paul (1972). A summary of An analytical study of the proposed corridor plan for Perth and possible alternate approach to a regional plan for the metropolitan area. Perth: Government of Western Australia.
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