Planning Process

The Assembly is a new civic precinct that will become a heart for the existing and future community. It will reactivate the iconic Matilda Bay Brewery building, create new connections through the area, deliver public spaces and activity, and create housing options for the whole community.

The site has a rich indigenous and industrial history, being located on a major walking trail between Fremantle and Mount Eliza and previously used as the Ford Assembly Plant and Matilda Bay Brewing Company.  The site has been sitting vacant for almost a decade, with no community access to the heritage building or the surrounding landholding.

A Development Application will be lodged with the City of Fremantle and determined by the Metropolitan South-West Joint Development Assessment Panel (JDAP). More information on the Panel can be found on the Western Australian Planning Commission Website

The Development Application will be formally advertised by the City of Fremantle for a period of 28 days. To support this public advertising period, a series of community drop-in sessions and site tours have been organised. You can register for the events here.

The design of the precinct has been carefully considered and includes varied building heights of 2, 10, 11 and 16 storeys covering only a third of the site area. The buildings have been designed and placed to respond to the heritage building, create new public space, minimise overshadowing and retain key site lines through the area.

The proposed buildings are largely compliant with the planning rules, including plot ratio and site coverage controls. Variations to building heights are proposed to achieve more slender building forms, celebrate the heritage building, free up public space on the ground floor, reduce overshadowing and maintain views of significance.

The Assembly is pursuing 5 star-Green Star design and will include solar power, LED lighting, solar passive and cross ventilated apartment design and efficient air conditioning.  75% of the site will be landscaped including the planting of 62 new trees across the area.

A total of 122 publicly accessible car bays will be provided for visitors to The Assembly.  A further 341 bays are provided for the apartments.

The Matilda Bay Brewery Building is included on the City of Fremantle Local Heritage List. The design retains and celebrates the heritage building, proposing 3,600sqm of adaptive re-use into a new brewery, restaurant and local produce store. Public space is also proposed around the building to celebrate its iconic façade.

The site will be transformed into a new civic precinct, with restaurants, cafes, provedore, brewery, co-working spaces and creative studio spaces adding life and vibrancy to the area. These uses will be supported by new public spaces and communal facilities for new residents.

207 diverse housing options are proposed including 1-, 2-, 3- and 4-bedroom apartments.  These new dwellings are provided with exclusive communal amenity including new pilates studios, children’s play areas, landscaped decks and working from home facilities, creating spaces for the whole community.

Following planning determination later this year, the development partners will commence detailed design of the precinct and buildings.  Construction is anticipated to commence in 2023.

To review the full Development Application documents and comment on the proposal, visit www.mysay.fremantle.wa.gov.au

To register for project updates, register interest in retail or apartment opportunities, please use the enquiry form below.