The planning documents for Precinct B at the Burswood Point (Perth, Australia) waterfront redevelopment have been submitted by the developer, Golden Sedayu, signifying the subsequent phase in the redevelopment of one of Perth’s most prominent riverfront locations.
The masterplan is being led by Skidmore, Owings & Merrill (SOM), with the landscape and public realm for Precinct B designed by Grant Associates.
Set along the Swan River at the tip of Burswood Peninsula, just 3.5km from Perth CBD, Precinct B will deliver a new mixed-use waterfront neighbourhood on a previously untouched stretch of the Swan River foreshore. It will be anchored by a generous network of public open spaces, riverfront parkland and civic gathering places.
Grant Associates’ landscape concept is inspired by the historic estuarine character of the Swan River, known as Derbarl Yerrigan in the Noongar language, reinterpreting former tidal inlets and wetlands as a contemporary urban waterfront. Sculpted landforms, rehabilitated foreshore edges, constructed wetlands, boardwalks and viewing platforms will combine to create a sheltered lagoon-like river edge that reconnects people directly with the water.
Adjacent to the public open space in Precinct B, a new district-scale foreshore park is designed to accommodate daily recreation, community gatherings, and large public events. This is complemented by a network of smaller neighbourhood spaces, including family play areas, lawns, civic plazas, shaded seating, and informal recreational zones within the urban blocks. Collectively, these spaces link the residential, commercial, entertainment, and retail amenities, making the public realm the social and environmental heart of the new precinct.
The landscape has been conceived as the primary structure for movement, activity and identity across the site. Waterfront promenades, retail edges, laneways and hospitality terraces are all shaped around public open space, ensuring that daily life within the precinct is closely connected to green spaces and water at every touchpoint.
A comprehensive Water Sensitive Urban Design strategy underpins the proposal, with rain gardens, vegetated swales, permeable surfaces and extensive native planting working together to manage stormwater, support biodiversity and improve water quality before runoff reaches the river. This approach positions Precinct B as a climate-resilient waterfront neighbourhood designed for long-term environmental performance.
Cultural identity also plays a central role. The landscape draws from Whadjuk Noongar heritage, Indigenous art and native ecologies, with material palettes, planting and spatial patterns grounded in Country and Perth’s distinctive river environment.
With planning now submitted, Precinct B represents one of Australia’s most vibrant new waterfront neighbourhoods currently progressing through approval. For Grant Associates, the project demonstrates how the public realm, ecology and urban life can be brought together at scale to shape a distinctive, liveable and future-focused riverside destination.
Images Credit: Golden Sedayu/SOM