• Images of the huge Emu Brewery project. Image supplied | Cox Howlett & Bailey Woodland. View from Kings Park.

Backers hope for no bitter after taste from 7th attempt

A mammoth $350 million, three-tower project has been given the thumbs up for the old Emu brewery site on Mounts Bay Road.

The Perth development assessments panel—including PCC councillor Rob Butler—unanimously approved the 268-apartment, 120-hotel room development by owner AAIG Pty Ltd (said by local planning boffins to be Singapore and Malaysian-owned).

The 31-level office block will flood Perth with an additional 48,000sqm of office space and it’s hoped the 35-level tower will ease the squeeze on Perth’s dire short-term accommodation shortage.

A combination of residential and commercial use would reportedly “increase the day time and night time activity in the locality” and the attached public plaza will spruce up pedestrian links in the area.

Online forum Skyscraper City, a hangout for town planners, urban design hobbyists and assorted tall building enthusiasts, was abuzz: “This would be the ultimate skyline changer we’ve wanted for so long,” posted hayds. “This will be the nice cherry on top [of] everything else going on,” ryan79 said. “A kick-arse design was submitted for once,” Bullswool commented.

AndyGM was cautious: “Cursed site, will never happen,” he said, referring to six previous approvals for the site that never started.

by DAVID BELL