Revitalising Bentley: A Vision of Inclusive Growth

A bold new chapter is underway in Perth’s southern suburbs as the WA Government gives the green light to the Heartwood Bentley Masterplan. This ambitious project will reshape a once-forgotten 31-hectare site into a thriving and inclusive community.

Located just 8km from the CBD, the former site of a sand quarry and the now-demolished Brownlie Towers will soon become home to between 800 and 1000 new residences. These will include a diverse mix of detached houses, townhouses, terraces and apartments, highlighting the government’s commitment to a future built on accessibility, sustainability and opportunity.

The redevelopment is focused on more than just housing. It places strong emphasis on building a community. The plan includes private, affordable and social housing options, ensuring a wide range of residents can find a place to call home. Twelve percent of the land will be dedicated to public open space, while the project also aims to achieve 30 percent tree canopy coverage, enhancing livability and green connections throughout the neighbourhood.

Stage 1 is already underway, with expressions of interest now open for the first three development sites and 41 residential lots. The overall plan includes 380 detached homes, 130 grouped dwellings and 410 apartments. These will be complemented by 2000 square metres of retail and commercial space across 1.5 hectares, creating a walkable, mixed-use community with shops, cafes and services integrated into daily life.

With planning control formally moving from the City of Canning to DevelopmentWA, the project is now in expert hands. DevelopmentWA brings extensive experience in delivering large-scale urban renewal projects, helping to ensure this vision is delivered with care, quality and long-term success.

Heartwood Bentley is located on the traditional lands of the Whadjuk Noongar people, and the development recognises the cultural significance of the area. Formerly mined between the 1940s and 1970s, the site has been backfilled but will require some remediation work before construction begins.

This new masterplan replaces the earlier Bentley360 proposal, which was approved in the past but never progressed due to the lack of a private development partner. While that plan offered a vision for 1500 homes, it stalled after the demolition of Brownlie Towers in 2019. The new approach is more realistic, more community-focused and fully backed by the state.

For those in the construction and property sectors, Heartwood Bentley offers exciting opportunities. It represents a fresh start for an area long overlooked and shows what can happen when vision, planning and community engagement come together.

Bentley is on the brink of transformation. The next chapter begins now, and it promises to be one built with purpose, people and progress in mind.