Unlocking the promise of transit-oriented development in Perth

Transit-oriented developments (TODs) offer a real opportunity to reshape Perth into a more connected, compact and liveable city. By bringing together housing, jobs and community spaces around public transport hubs, TODs can help to reduce car dependence and support more sustainable walkable neighbourhoods.

Done well, TODs create places where people want to live.

In a recent article in The Urbanist – UDIA WA’s industry magazine – local academic Julian Bolleter and urban planner Samantha Thompson explained TODs could boost housing diversity, stimulate local economies and foster a stronger sense of community.

But while the opportunities are plenty, both our experts agree the path to delivering successful TODs in Perth – particularly around designated Metronet station precincts – has its challenges.

Fragmented landownership is a major hurdle to delivering an overall vision for a precinct. In successful station precincts, like Subi Centro and Cockburn Central, coordinated government planning helped to pave the way to the successful delivery of those projects, while in others – like Bayswater – fragmented landownership has slowed progress.

There are also practical issues, with some sites in greenfield areas lacking the infrastructure and amenities needed to attract new development or residents.

Policy inconsistencies, lengthy approval processes and limited local support can make it even more difficult.

The State Government document Delivering Successful METRONET Station Precincts outlines six station precinct types, including City Centre, Strategic Centre, Town Centre, Neighbourhood Centre, Specialised Centre and Transit Node – all within 1km of a station. These areas are targeted for housing, jobs and community services.

However, as our experts outlined, these designations aren’t always realistic in today’s market.

To unlock the full potential of TODs, we need strong leadership from the State Government and a more targeted approach to which station precincts should be delivered first.

This means prioritising locations with existing infrastructure and market readiness, particularly in inner and established suburbs, where we can demonstrate success and build momentum.

This also means recognising the potential of underutilised heritage rail stations and working closely with local governments to ensure planning for those precincts aligns with community expectations.

Government can also help to seed progress by investing early in social and affordable housing within TOD precincts, setting the standard for high-quality, inclusive development.

Perth’s TOD future isn’t about doing everything at once – it’s about doing the right things in the right places. If we can focus on delivering quality outcomes where the market, infrastructure and community are ready, TODs can help Perth to grow smarter.

It will be a long-term journey but we need to start thinking strategically now.