The ECU campus is in the heart of Mount Lawley, right next to Mount Lawley Senior High School, spanning 18.6 hectares and is positioned in between Mount Lawley, Menora and Inglewood. The site is well connected to public transport, close to schools, parks and neighbourhood centres and is just five kilometres from the Perth CBD.

ECU, which includes the Western Australian Academy of Performing Arts (WAAPA), is relocating from its Mount Lawley campus in early 2026, which was part of the Perth City Deal. ECU City is a transformative project creating a world-class creative industries, business, and technology precinct in Perth's CBD, next to Yagan Square.

More information on ECU’s new city campus can be found at www.citycampus.ecu.edu.au

With the relocation of ECU to the Perth CBD, the Mount Lawley site presents a unique and rare opportunity to reimagine this centrally located land as a vibrant new precinct that includes housing, education, public spaces and community facilities. It provides an exciting opportunity to draw on the sites cultural, creative and educational heritage, and incorporate the unique characteristics of the neighbourhood to create a vibrant place to live, learn, and connect.

DevelopmentWA is the State Government’s property delivery agency. We take projects from land acquisition to vibrant, liveable communities that shape WA. 

DevelopmentWA is leading the redevelopment of the ECU Mount Lawley campus site.

We have a proven track record in delivering complex urban renewal projects that bring lasting public benefit at Subi East, Montario Quarter, and former school sites including  Challenger TAFE (Beaconsfield), OneOneFive Hamilton Hill and White Gum Valley (WGV).

The ECU Mount Lawley redevelopment will occur through a staged planning and delivery process led by DevelopmentWA. Statutory amendments to the Metropolitan Region Scheme and Local Planning Scheme are required to enable future redevelopment.

A Master Plan is being prepared to set the vision and strategic direction for the site. This plan has been informed by technical investigations, stakeholder input and extensive community engagement. The Master Plan will inform the preparation of a Precinct Structure Plan, which will guide more detailed land use, subdivision, infrastructure and built form outcomes.

Redevelopment works cannot commence until Edith Cowan University has vacated the site, which is expected between 2026 and 2027. Following ECU's relocation and necessary approvals, development will proceed in stages.

The redevelopment is in its early phases.

• The Draft Master Plan was released on 18 June for a period of community consultation, which closed on 3 August 2025. All submissions received during the consultation period are being reviewed to help inform the final Master Plan
• A Consultation Report summarising community feedback will be released later in 2025
• Work will commence on the Precinct Structure Plan

In parallel, DevelopmentWA is progressing statutory amendments to the Metropolitan Region Scheme and Local Planning Scheme to enable future redevelopment.

The ECU Mount Lawley site is currently zoned for tertiary education, ‘Public Purposes – Tertiary Education’.

With ECU is moving to its new City Campus in 2026, the land needs to be rezoned mainly for urban uses (an ‘Urban Zone’), with part of it set aside for a public purpose use. This change will make it possible to create new housing, parks, community spaces and a new primary school, in line with the vision outlined in the Master Plan.

The MRS amendment is the first stage of the statutory planning process. It sets the broad zoning needed to allow redevelopment to occur and provides the foundation for more detailed planning to follow.

• An MRS amendment is a formal statutory process that changes the zoning of land on the Metropolitan Region Scheme map. It is a requirement under the Planning and Development Act 2005 and includes public consultation and assessment by the Western Australian Planning Commission (WAPC). The amendment sets the broad planning rules for the site and is the first statutory step needed to allow redevelopment to occur.

• A Master Plan is a strategic document that outlines the vision for the future development of a particular area. It provides a framework for guiding decisions about land use, infrastructure, and community amenities but does not hold a legal status. The plan typically includes considerations for residential, commercial, and recreational spaces, along with transportation, environmental impacts, and community services. While not a statutory document, it sets the foundation for future planning and will inform the Precinct Structure Plan and detailed design.

You can view the amendment on the DPLH  website between Monday 1 September & Monday 13 October 2025, this is the only place where you can provide your feedback.

This MRS amendment has a formal submission process where community feedback will be considered by the WAPC.

You can view the amendment on the DPLH  website between Monday 1 September & Monday 13 October 2025, this is the only place where you can provide your feedback.

There will also be opportunities to provide input at later stages, such as during the Precinct Structure Plan process, which looks at the detailed layout of the site.

A region scheme provides a statutory mechanism to provide strategic direction, assist in the coordination of major infrastructure, and set aside areas for regional open space and other community purposes. A region scheme usually covers more than one local government area. The content of the scheme may vary for each region, but they generally set out broad land use zones or policy areas, and identify land required for regional purposes.

The Western Australian Planning Commission (WAPC) prepares and administers region planning schemes for the effective planning and coordination of land use and development.

There are three region schemes in operation in Western Australia, the Metropolitan Region Scheme (MRS), the Peel Region Scheme (PRS), and the Greater Bunbury Region Scheme (GBRS).

The Redevelopment of the ECU Mount Lawley site needs to progress in sequence through several statutory planning stages, as explained below in sequence and by the diagram:

1. Metropolitan Region Scheme (MRS) Amendment – The Western Australian Planning Commission (WAPC) changes the broad land use zoning of the site, for example, from “Tertiary Education” to “Urban”.

2. Local Planning Scheme (LPS) Amendment – The City of Stirling updates its Local Planning Scheme to align with the new MRS zoning.

3. Precinct Structure Plan (PSP) – A detailed statutory plan that shows how the site will be developed, including housing, open space, schools, community facilities, roads and infrastructure. This plan is advertised for community input and must be approved by the WAPC.

4. Subdivision – Following PSP approval, applications are lodged and assessed to divide the land into development lots and confirm servicing arrangements.

5. Development Applications (DAs) – Specific proposals for buildings and land uses are against the approved statutory planning framework before construction begins.

To help inform the Master Plan, in 2024 DevelopmentWA engaged a broad range of local voices from the community to understand what matters most to them for this redevelopment, through surveys, focus groups, information sessions and a dedicated Community Reference Group in 2024. The CRG included residents, businesses and community organisations who helped guide the development of key design principles.

Discussion and feedback from the community information sessions and Community Reference Group workshops included key priorities such as sustainability, open space, and diverse housing options. 

The Community Engagement Outcomes Report that summarises the ideas and feedback received through the consultation period is available to view here.

A Community Reference Group (CRG) brings together a group of people who have an interest in a project, a place or an issue and provide valuable input, feedback and advice. These groups are typically made up of representatives from local residents, business owners, community organisations, and other stakeholders.

For the ECU Mount Lawley redevelopment, the CRG was formed in 2024 as part of a broader early engagement program led by DevelopmentWA. The process began with a public call for nominations in October 2024, which was promoted through the project website, social media, targeted emails and direct outreach to local organisations. Nominees were assessed to ensure the group represented a broad cross-section of the community.

The Community Reference group included around 30 participants representing a wide variety of interests bringing together residents, businesses and community organisations to guide the development of key design principles. This included people from ECU/WAAPA, Mount Lawley Senior High School, local sporting clubs and community groups, environmental organisations, businesses, residents and landowners, which reflects a diverse range of ages and interests.

A Master Plan is a strategic document that outlines the vision for the future development of a particular area. It provides a framework for guiding decisions about land use, infrastructure, and community amenities. The plan typically includes considerations for residential, commercial, and recreational spaces, along with transportation, environmental impacts, and community services.

Master Plans are often used for large-scale developments, such as urban renewal projects, to ensure that the transformation of the area meets the needs of both current and future residents, while supporting economic growth and enhancing quality of life.

Master Plans are informed by a range of inputs – including technical studies, planning analysis, community and stakeholder engagement, and broader government policy objectives. For the ECU Mount Lawley site, the Draft Master Plan has been shaped through this integrated approach to ensure the redevelopment reflects local aspirations while aligning with state planning priorities

The community consultation period for the Draft Master Plan has closed, here’s what’s happening next:

• All submissions are being reviewed to help inform the final Master Plan
• A Consultation Report summarising community feedback will be released later in 2025

The Draft Master Plan sets a long-term vision to transform the ECU Mount Lawley campus into a connected, inclusive and sustainable neighbourhood. It outlines a considered approach to housing, open space, movement and future community infrastructure. It is guided by six strategic themes shaped by community input, with a strong focus on local identity, sustainability, green space and a welcoming, people-first design.

The six strategic themes are:

• Honouring our legacy
• Shaping a connected community
• Prioritising safe movement
• Creating inviting green spaces
• Spaces for living, learning and gathering
• Building for the future

To find out more on the six strategic themes of the Master Plan, visit the Master Plan Video Series page, for videos and factsheets that explain the development and content of the Draft Master Plan.

The ECU Mount Lawley Campus site has a rich history beginning with its Noongar heritage to being used a pine plantation, driving school, then becoming a hub of education, performance and innovation through Mount Lawley Teachers College (MLTC) and the Western Australian Academy of Performing Arts (WAAPA) and Edith Cowan University.

The Master Plan respects and honours the sites cultural, creative and educational heritage, including the Noongar people's enduring connection to Country, through incorporation of natural, built and creative elements that reflect and share the site’s layered history.

The Master Plan provides a framework to support housing choice, with a range of housing types including townhouses, apartments and grouped housing to suit diverse household needs – such as families, couples, students, downsizers and key workers.

While the Master Plan does not set a fixed number of dwellings, it outlines how the site could accommodate between 900 to 1,100 dwellings over time. This demonstrates how different design responses and housing types could be integrated while responding to site constraints and community priorities.

The Master Plan doesn’t set the final building heights, instead, it provides guidance for introducing height and density in a considered, context-sensitive way, with higher-density development focused in areas that can comfortably accommodate additional scale, and lower-scale housing planned near existing residential areas to support a respectful transition.

The Master Plan outlines the opportunity to deliver a mix of housing types that support a diverse and inclusive community. This may include social and affordable housing along with other homes suited to different life stages and household types, such as families, seniors, students, downsizers and essential workers. The amount of social housing has not yet been determined. The project is still in the early stages of planning, and the Draft Master Plan does not set specific housing allocations or confirm the proportion of social or affordable housing.

Increasing the supply of well-designed, affordable housing options is a vital part of building inclusive, diverse, safe and resilient communities, bringing together families, seniors and essential workers, such as your barista, bus driver, nurses and teachers.

Any social or affordable housing will be carefully integrated through high-quality design to ensure it is indistinguishable from other housing in the neighbourhood. DevelopmentWA is committed to creating well-designed, inclusive places where every home contributes positively to the look, feel and function of the community.

Traffic and access have been carefully considered as part of the planning for the redevelopment. This included understanding how the project, including the new primary school, may affect nearby roads and intersections, along with broader traffic conditions.

Planning also considered how school pick-up and drop-off can be managed, and how vehicles will move through the site and connect to surrounding streets. It is recognised that the site currently has over 3800 students accessing the campus. Traffic Engineers have subsequently concluded that the local road network can accommodate the traffic generated by the redevelopment.

The site is also well-served by public transport, with high-frequency bus routes such as the 960 and 980 providing direct connections to the Perth CBD, Morley, Dianella and Curtin University. These services offer a convenient alternative to driving and support a more walkable and connected neighbourhood.

More detailed traffic planning will continue as the project progresses.

The Master Plan highlights the potential reuse of several existing buildings, including Western Australian Academy of Performing Arts, the Library, the Administration building and parts of the Student Village. These buildings are integrated into the plan and can accommodate a range of future activities that reflect community needs and support a vibrant and inclusive precinct.

The design of the Master Plan reflects the community’s desire to retain the leafy feel that Mount Lawley is known for.  Mature trees will be retained where possible and enhanced with new planting to support shade, biodiversity and urban cooling. An existing water body will be retained and enhanced as part of a nature-focused park.

The Master Plan outlines a variety of buildings and outdoor spaces that provide spaces for living, learning, creativity and connection within walking distance. This currently includes a new public primary school, space for small local businesses, potential for community facilities to support arts and cultural activities.

The plan also allows for small-scale retail opportunities such as cafes, local shops and other services that support day-to-day life and encourage social connection. These spaces will be in areas designed to bring people together, complement nearby homes and green spaces, and contribute to a lively and accessible local centre.

A range of green spaces is also planned, such as a central plaza for community events, gardens for cultural expression and learning, and a nature-based park with water features. These spaces are intended to support everyday use, including play, social gatherings and quiet moments of rest and reflection.

A site for the new Mount Lawley West Primary School is included in the Draft Master Plan. Earlier this year, the Cook Labor Government announced funding to progress planning for the school. Specific details such as the design, timing and catchment areas will be developed by the Department of Education as part of this planning.

The design of the Master Plan reflects the community’s desire to retain the leafy feel that Mount Lawley is known for. of the site is planned as new public open space, including parks, play areas and green links that will provide shady, safe and inclusive places.

Tree retention has been considered in the early planning, and mature trees will be retained where it is feasible to do so. However, because the site was previously used as a landfill, it may require remediation works that could limit the ability to retain some existing trees. Further investigations will inform what is possible. New planting is also planned throughout the site to support shade, biodiversity and a cooler, greener neighbourhood over time.

Following the closing of the Draft Master Plan feedback period, DevelopmentWA will finalise the Master Plan and prepare a Precinct Structure Plan to guide future subdivision, infrastructure coordination and built form outcomes.

Community engagement will continue through future phases of planning and delivery.

To stay informed about this project, please register via the 'stay informed' button at the top right-hand section of this page.

Project updates including details of the consultation process will be emailed to you once they are confirmed.