Local workers have commenced work to transform the Hamilton Senior High School Site into a new innovative, sustainable residential estate.
Around 400 workers will be involved in the construction of the DevelopmentWA 'Innovation through Demonstration' project, which will feature approximately 232 lots and more than 330 new homes.
The diverse housing products to be created include single residential lots, split-level lots, 125sqm compact lots and five grouped housing sites.
The estate will also include two small mixed-use commercial sites and set a new industry benchmark for quality residential infill.
The project has received Urban Development Institute of Australia EnviroDevelopment certification and the maximum 6 leaves for its high standard sustainability initiatives.
In designing the estate, DevelopmentWA has worked with the site's natural landform, with a focus on retaining established trees and biodiversity.
More than 350 new tree plantings will double the existing tree canopy to cover 30 per cent of the estate, providing shaded areas for residents as well as for nesting birds and other animals.
The project will also showcase an innovative approach to demolition waste management, salvaging, crushing and processing demolition materials on site to be re-used and re-purposed in future landscaping and civil works at the estate.
Some 10,000 tonnes of materials from the former school buildings were processed on site, with 85 per cent of this to be reused as part of the civil construction and landscape works.
The commencement of works comes two and a half years after the former school was closed. The estate will reflect the site's Aboriginal and European heritage, and its importance to the local community, through street names, landscaping, public art and the use of materials from the former school.
As stated by Lands Minister Ben Wyatt:
"Getting this project off the ground now helps support our State's economic recovery, with local businesses and workers involved in the construction of the estate.
"The development is expected to attract $97.7 million in private sector investment and the first lots are expected to be released in 2021.
"The estate will deliver genuine choice for homebuyers by introducing a diverse range of new housing types and price points to an area dominated by older single-lot homes.
"I'm pleased to see the cultural and historical elements of the site will be reflected in the development - taking in not only its history as a school, but also the Aboriginal heritage of the area."
As stated by Fremantle MLA Simone McGurk:
"This new development will be a great place to live - it's close to excellent transport links and established infrastructure.
"The innovative approach taken to demolition and recycling of the former Hamilton Senior High School buildings has demonstrated a new way forward for the development industry.
"Through careful management and on-site processing, 85 per cent of the 10,000 tonnes of demolition materials recovered will be re-used across the new estate.
"This approach not only prevented thousands of tonnes of waste going to landfill, but also removed some 1,000 trucks from our roads during the demolition process - delivering environmental benefits, and reducing congestion and disruption for the local community."
