State planners approve $53 million plan for St George’s Anglican Grammar School to move to new CBD address

State planners have approved a $53 million plan for St George’s Anglican Grammar School to move 650m from its current William Street address in the Perth CBD so it can take in more students. Perth Local Development Assessment Panel members approved the plans from landowner the Anglican Schools Commission Inc. to turn an office building at 441 Murray Street, Perth, into the secondary college’s new home. The Murray Street site is currently home to a nine-level office building that includes a basement car park. The school is presently located at 50 William Street in Perth. As well as the school, the building will also be used by the head office of the Anglican Schools Commission and Anglican Schools Commission International. A report said the school currently had about 450 Year 7 to 12 students and 54 staff, but the relocation would enable it to increase its student numbers to 600 by 2025, and 800 at the end of the project in 2032. The development is proposed to be built in two stages, with the first stage including a revamp of the office and the second stage adding six levels to the building for more teaching and office facilities, a full-size basketball court, and a roof-level fitness centre for students. When finished, the development will be 15 stories high and include a bright red oversized open-air stairwell designed to give students space for casual interactions. Applicant PTS Town Planning Pty Ltd wrote in a report on behalf of the landowner that the re-use and upgrading of the “existing, slightly tired office building” was a good sustainability story. “It’s wonderful to see the adaptive reuse, I couldn’t be happier that they’re (the school) staying in the city,” panel member and City of Perth councillor Catherine Lezer said on Monday. The city advertised the plans for public comment to surrounding properties in December last year. One submission was received from Quest West End Apartments next door to the Murray Street site. Quest West End franchisee Andrew Clark raised concerns about noise pollution, reduced parking in the area and increased traffic congestion. “With this volume of students and staff, the concern is the noise coming from the open-air stairwell will impact on our business as we will not be able to provide ‘quiet enjoyment’ for our guests,” he wrote. “This will also increase the complaints both directly and through online review which will also impact our business.” But the city’s design review panel said noise generated by student activity would not create “undue adverse amenity” to surrounding properties. “Hotel guests are more likely to be impacted in the evenings by the entertainment venues situated in close proximity to the site than the daytime activities of the school,” its report said. The school estimated 95 per cent of students would arrive by public transport. “Whilst there may be greater demand for the use of short-term on street parking bays in the first week back to school, it is considered that this demand will subside as students and parents fall into their normal routine,” the panel report said. The panel supported the plans because it would bring a “hive of daytime activity and vibrancy” to the Citiplace precinct on Murray Street.