This engagement has finished and all input is being reviewed.
Background
Council is proposing a change to how the land it owns at the Northbridge Plaza car park, is classified.
This applies to:
- The Council-owned car park behind Northbridge Plaza on Eastern Valley Way
- The vacant former Baby Health Clinic building within the car park
The zoning of the land is not proposed to be changed. However, we are proposing to change its classification under the Local Government Act 1993—from community land to operational land.
Why Council is proposing this change
Classifying the land as operational more accurately reflects how the site is currently used—as a car park.
It also gives Council more flexibility to consider how the land might be used or managed in the future. This change will give Council the option to consider the future zoning and land uses holistically. Any changes to zoning would be subject to future consultation.
Council originally exhibited a proposal to reclassify Council land at Northbridge Plaza car park from community land to operational land between 15 July to 19 August 2025.
Find the original planning proposal, supporting documents and further information in the Original Public Exhibition Documents Library 2025 on this project page.
Council has now updated the planning proposal and is re-exhibiting for community comment
Why Council is re-exhibiting the proposal
At a Council Meeting on 17 November 2025, Council resolved to re-exhibit the proposal to include more detail about the land’s certificate of title, including a Statutory Trust applicable to the land which was not included in the first public exhibition. Read the report to Council and minutes (item 11.11) using this link.
What is a Statutory Trust?
When the land was transferred to Council ownership, it was dedicated for use as a public car park and baby health centre. This created a legal restriction known as a Statutory Trust, which restricts the land use to those purposes. Council is proposing to extinguish this Statutory Trust.
Summary of changes in the planning proposal from the original exhibition
The Planning Proposal has been amended in response to the independent facilitator's findings and Council's resolution by providing the following:
- Additional background and details regarding the Statutory Trust that applies to the land, including Council's intention to extinguish the trust through the reclassification process.
- Further clarification that reclassifying the land will not:
- Commit Council to the sale or development of the land.
- Remove the land from Council's ownership or prevent the current use of the land from continuing.
- Change the zoning or planning controls applicable to the land.
- An explanation that if the reclassification proceeds and the land becomes operational land, Council will prepare a master plan for the site. The preparation of the master plan will involve a separate community and stakeholder engagement process.
View the re-exhibition planning proposal documents
Amended Planning Proposal 2026
Statement of Council's Interest - Amended 2026
Public Hearing
Following the re-exhibition of the Planning Proposal to reclassify Council land at the Northbridge Plaza car park, Council will be holding a public hearing in accordance with the Local Government Act 1993.
Details of the date, time and location will be notified when they are confirmed.
Submissions closed on 10 May 2026
Notes about your submission
- If you made a submission during the original exhibition, your submission will continue to be considered as part of Council’s assessment of the planning proposal.
- We request your comments on the proposal even if you previously provided a submission.
- To help us to better understand your feedback, consider theming your comments and using sub-headings.
- During the review period, Council will consider concerns raised in your submissions, but these will not be individually acknowledged or responded to.
- Your submission will be made publicly available in the report to Council and on Council's website unless you indicate otherwise in your submission. Further details about privacy can be found here Council's Privacy Statement.
- People lodging submissions must declare any political donations (adding up to or exceeding $1000) made in the previous 2 years. Further details on the Disclosure of Political Donations and Expenditures page.
- Council takes no responsibility for comments of a personal or defamatory nature contained in submissions.
- In making your email or postal submission, you may choose to remain anonymous, however this needs to be clearly stated on the submission (at the top of the front page in bold) that it is not to be treated as a public document.
- Should there be a need to substantiate matters contained in your submission, anonymous submissions may be given less weight (or no weight) in the consideration of the matter.
What happens next
The public hearing independent facilitator’s recommendations will be reported back to Council along with a report summarising the public exhibition submissions.
Everyone who made a submission will be notified by email with details of the Open and Public Forum and Council meeting.
Forms
If you registered for the Public Hearing in 2026 you will be informed when we have a confirmed date.
This engagement has closed. Thank you for your submission
Re-exhibition submission form 2026
This engagement has closed. Thank you for your submission
