Perth Voice Interactive

THE replacement of the long-empty Stirling Towers looks to finally be going ahead this year, with a development application now granted by the WA Planning Commission to replace the tired ex-Homeswest towers with 109 new apartments. 

The towers on the corner of Smith and Stirling Streets in Perth were emptied out of residents almost 10 years ago.

Successive governments have floated various ideas for a replacement, with one resident claiming he’d accumulated “a stack of brochures” of “imminent” plans it over the years (“Not a Stirling job,” Voice, March 4, 2023).

The current WA government’s plans have gone a little smoother, and a demolition permit was issued in August with the cleanup expected to be done by “early 2025”. 

The WAPC has now granted approval for a consortium led by Community Housing Ltd and Tetris Capital Pty Ltd to put up 109 apartments across four stories, with a mix of one and two-bedroom social, affordable, and disability rental units.

It’s being run under a “build-to-rent” model, a recent trend in the eternal search for a way to affordably provide affordable housing. Instead of building to sell, the properties are retained for rent, and as part of the 50-year lease deal the consortium is required to provide the affordable and specialist disability units.

Housing minister John Carey said in a media release this week that the project was part of the plan for “unlocking lazy government land to deliver more social and affordable housing options”.

He said “once completed, this build-to-rent project will provide social and affordable housing options close to a range of amenities including the Perth CBD, shops, public transport and parks, as well as education, sporting and entertainment facilities.”

by DAVID BELL