Dave Kelly’s argument is that more homes near Old Perth Road could help address housing need while bringing potential customers within walking distance of the strip’s businesses. A later official application for the nearby Park Lane site proposes 73 social and affordable apartments in a nine-storey building, but it remains under assessment; neither the project’s approval nor a revival of local business is established.
What Dave Kelly argued about Old Perth Road
On 29 May 2025, Bassendean MLA Dave Kelly raised Old Perth Road in a grievance to the Western Australian Minister for Planning and Lands; Housing and Works. He argued that strategically located housing could serve two purposes: add to housing supply and create a nearby customer base for existing and future businesses.
“More housing supply is obviously part of the answer to our housing shortage, and if those houses were strategically placed around Old Perth Road, it would provide new customers within walking distance of existing and future businesses on Old Perth Road.”
Kelly’s case is a policy argument, not a measured forecast of new customers or business growth. No independent local vacancy rate, foot-traffic count or estimate of the proposal’s commercial impact is established in the available accounts.
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The Department of Planning, Lands and Heritage describes DevelopmentWA’s application for Lot 9664 (No. 1) Park Lane, at the intersection of Park Lane, Guildford Road and Wilson Street. Its stated development value is $38 million.
| Application detail | What is proposed |
|---|---|
| Building | Nine storeys |
| Housing and other use | 73 social and affordable apartments and one incidental office |
| Vehicle and bicycle parking | 54 standard car bays and 46 bicycle bays |
| Shared facilities and site works | Indoor and outdoor communal space, landscaping and ancillary services |
| Stated development value | $38 million |
Earlier descriptions in 2025, including a PerthNow report and Kelly’s parliamentary grievance, referred to 74 dwellings or apartments. The later official application page gives the more specific configuration: 73 apartments plus an incidental office.
Where the proposal stands in the planning process
Public comment on the application closed on 27 February 2026. The Department says feedback from the community, stakeholders and local government will inform its recommendation to the Western Australian Planning Commission (WAPC); the official application page lists the proposal as under assessment. These sources do not record a final approval or construction outcome.
The Department says it assesses the application and recommends an outcome to the WAPC. The Town of Bassendean is consulted as the responsible local government. The site is zoned Urban under the Metropolitan Region Scheme, which the Department’s FAQ describes as administered by the WAPC.
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How the Town’s heritage-area height limit differs
The Town of Bassendean’s 24 February 2026 council minutes record Council accepting a draft Bassendean Precinct Structure Plan for advertising. In its response about the Old Perth Road heritage area, the Town said it retained a six-storey maximum there to limit heritage impacts. It also said its design testing indicated that development above six storeys on the relevant lot pattern could produce poor design outcomes. These are the Town’s stated planning reasons, not a determination that every taller proposal will be refused.
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The Town’s stated six-storey maximum applies to the heritage precinct in its draft plan. It should not be confused with the separate nine-storey Park Lane application. The same minutes say that, if a draft amended Local Planning Policy 4 were adopted, demolition or partial demolition at a queried Old Perth Road site would require development approval; that requirement would not automatically prevent demolition.
What local business accounts add—and do not prove
PerthNow’s 15 June 2025 report framed Kelly’s call as an effort to revive a strip that had lost activity to Hawaiian’s Bassendean Shopping Centre. It attributed the view about lost activity to Kelly and reported his account that more than 30 local businesses had signed a petition supporting housing on Old Perth Road. The petition itself was not independently reviewed in that report’s underlying evidence.
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The article also quoted Toe Beans cafe owner Silvia Wong describing empty nearby premises and reporting theft and damage at her cafe. Jake’s Continental Butchery owner Jake Wilkinson criticised a previous Town street-activation effort, saying closures and reduced parking hurt businesses. The report said construction workers building apartments behind his business were using parking spaces during construction. These are named owners’ accounts; they do not establish strip-wide rates or independently demonstrate the causes of business conditions.
Kelly told PerthNow: “People want to see Old Perth Road revitalised with viable businesses and well-maintained buildings.” Housing and Works Minister John Carey, also quoted by PerthNow, asked: “If we cannot do density there, then where can we do it?” That was advocacy for density in the town-centre context, not a planning decision.
Independent reader supportYour contribution helps us test, update, and keep practical guides available for everyone.What the housing-and-revival argument leaves open
More nearby residents could create an opportunity for local businesses, but the materials available do not show how many residents would become customers, how many jobs or viable businesses would result, or whether the development would change foot traffic. The proposal and the public debate document an anticipated benefit, not post-occupancy results.
Quick Recap
- Housing: The application is described as social and affordable housing, but its current planning status is assessment rather than a completed project.
- Heritage and design: The Town has set out a draft six-storey maximum for the heritage precinct and its stated design rationale; that context is distinct from the Park Lane site.
- Access and disruption: Nearby housing may support walking access to shops, while construction and parking effects are concerns raised in business-owner accounts. The available sources do not quantify either effect for the proposed development.
- Evidence of commercial benefit: Kelly’s customer argument has not been accompanied by a sourced forecast or measured outcome in these accounts.
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