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The Western Australian Planning Commission (WAPC) approved revised plans for the Ocean Village redevelopment in City Beach on January 22, 2026. The Town of Cambridge objected to the loss of commercial space and retail tenancies, even as it supported design, accessibility, parking and landscaping refinements. The approved amendment increases the planned homes from 247 to 264 and reduces commercial floor space from 6,480 m² to 4,752 m².
What changed in the approved Ocean Village plans?
The amended approval keeps the building at 23 storeys and retains its overall height, bulk and form, according to the Town of Cambridge. It changes the balance between housing and commercial uses:
| Measure | Original approval, March 2025 | Amended approval, January 2026 |
|---|---|---|
| Dwellings | 247 | 264 |
| Commercial floor space | 6,480 m² | 4,752 m² |
| Commercial tenancies | 16 | 11 |
| Height | 23 storeys | 23 storeys |
The Town says the approved amendment removes the tavern and several retail uses. It also records revisions to landscaping, accessibility, parking layout and façade articulation. The figures and changes in this comparison are from the Town’s January 22, 2026 update.
Why did the Town call the changes disappointing?
The concern was that the reduction in commercial space would weaken the site’s intended mixed-use role: a place with housing as well as businesses, services and activity. In October 2025, Deputy Mayor Ben Mayes said the reduction in commercial tenancies presented “a poor amenity outcome for the area.” Mayor Gary Mack described the proposal at the time as “a lost opportunity” and said it was “very regretful,” as reported by PerthNow on October 30, 2025.
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The developer, Blackburne, told PerthNow that market advice indicated the proposed tavern was too large for operators’ needs, could be difficult to lease without passing traffic and would require extensive earthworks. The company said other food and beverage uses and a second licensed venue remained proposed at that stage. The Town’s later account of the approved amendment says the tavern and several retail uses were removed.
The Town’s objection is a planning position, not a measured finding that the change will produce a particular economic loss or quantified effect on amenity. Mayor Mack described the final amendment as a “neutral planning outcome,” acknowledging improvements in design, accessibility, parking and landscaping while saying the further loss of commercial activity weakened the intended mixed-use role of the site.
Who made the decision?
The WAPC approved both the original development and the later amendment through the Part 17 Significant Development pathway. The Town of Cambridge Council did not make the approval decision. The Town says the pathway gives the state commission broad powers and reduces local decision-making input; that is the Town’s characterization of the process.
The sequence helps distinguish the Town’s October criticism of a proposed amendment from the final decision:
- September 2024: Council recommended refusing the original proposal, citing its departure from the Town’s Local Planning Strategy and concerns about the surrounding residential area.
- March 20, 2025: The WAPC approved the original 23-storey proposal with 247 dwellings and 6,480 m² of commercial floor space. The Town expressed disappointment and concerns about design, height, bulk, scale and community impacts.
- September 2025: The landowner lodged an amendment application under Part 17C of the Planning and Development Act 2005.
- October 2025: Council considered the proposed changes. PerthNow reported that officers recommended support and that councillors supported having the CEO prepare draft approval conditions in case the WAPC approved them.
- January 22, 2026: The WAPC approved the amendment. The Town supported certain design and parking refinements but maintained its objection to the reduced commercial component.
The Town’s accounts of the original decision and approved amendment are available in its March 31, 2025 response and January 22, 2026 update.
What refinements did the Town support?
The Town said it endorsed the amendment’s design and parking refinements while recommending technical conditions and further plans or assessments. These included:
- A Landscape Management Plan.
- An Arboricultural Impact Assessment and Tree Protection/Method Statement.
- Updates addressing servicing, waste, tree protection and landscaping.
Those areas of support do not reverse the Town’s concern about fewer commercial uses; the Town treated the physical refinements and the loss of commercial activity as separate parts of the amendment.
Independent reader supportYour contribution helps us test, update, and keep practical guides available for everyone.What the decision means for residents and local businesses
The practical change is a higher dwelling count alongside less commercial floor space and fewer tenancies than the original approval. The project remains approved at 23 storeys, with the WAPC—not the Town Council—having determined the amendment. The Town’s stated concern is that the smaller commercial component may diminish the development’s intended service and activity functions; the cited sources do not establish a quantified effect on employment, local spending or future tenancy demand.
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