Land Sale Paves Way for Perth Timber BtR

DevelopmentWA has sold key land in a high-profile urban renewal project to make way for Perth’s latest build-to-rent project. 

The Western Australian development body sold the land to developer Bluerock Projects for its Tuohy Garden Apartments plans in Midland, 16km east of the capital.

The project will offer 51 affordable build-to-rent apartments, and is being dubbed “Western Australia’s largest timber frame apartment complex”. 

Bluerock will act as the developer and landlord of the site, aiming to “provide secure, long-term, affordable rental accommodation”. 

The WA Government has also tipped the project as the next step in the scaling up of build-to-rent delivery across the state, with a host of affordable projects in the works, in contrast to the largely high-end build-to-rent developments on the eastern seaboard. 

The $25-million Rothelowman-designed proposals received approval in late 2023 and construction is expected to start by mid-2024. 

▲ According to Knight Frank, Melbourne and Brisbane are leading the way in build-to-rent stock, withWA accounting for just 4 per cent of units.

Midland has been earmarked for redevelopment into a “growing local vibrant precinct”, according to Housing and Lands Minister John Carey. 

The City of Swan has been working to transform the 180ha city into a revitalised urban village, with health and education, shopping and transit links.

In June 2023, a major transit precinct, including the new Midland train station, bus interchange and multi-storey carpark, was approved. 

Timber has been a focus of certain developers given its construction time and cost benefits, as well as arguments regarding sustainability 

Last year, Grange Development’s 51-storey Perth timber tower secured approval with JDAP members calling it a “revolutionary” project.