The City’s Active Reserve Infrastructure Strategy 2020 identified that Morris Buzacott Reserve would benefit from coordinated planning for future development.

The Strategy originally recommended preparing a Master Plan to consider the co-location of infrastructure, improve connections across the reserve and coordinate the timing of future upgrades and renewals. Over time user groups submitted a number of requests for infrastructure renewals and upgrades. The user groups consolidated their requests which formed a total of 26 proposals from 10 user groups

Following consideration of the project’s scope, timing and resource requirements, the City determined that a Site Development Plan was the most appropriate approach for Morris Buzacott Reserve.

A Site Development Plan (SDP) is a high-level planning document that sets out a coordinated long-term direction for how a site could develop and improve over time. It identifies proposals and priorities to guide future planning and investment but does not approve or fund individual projects.

For Morris Buzacott Reserve, the draft SDP considers:

• existing facilities and infrastructure
• the needs of sporting clubs, community groups and other reserve users
• future infrastructure renewal and improvement needs
• access, inclusion and connections across the reserve
• landscaping, sustainability and environmental opportunities
• the location and coordination of potential future projects

The draft SDP has been informed by user-group input, site investigations, planning assessments, accessibility considerations and the City’s strategic priorities. Community feedback will also be considered before the final Site Development Plan is presented to Council.

The City determined that a Site Development Plan was the most appropriate approach for the current needs and proposed scope of Morris Buzacott Reserve.

The SDP will provide a coordinated, site-wide plan focused on identified infrastructure renewal, access, landscaping and improvement needs. The current scope does not include major relocations or rationalisation of facilities that may require a broader and more detailed Master Plan process.

Preparing an SDP also requires less time and fewer resources than the Master Plan originally proposed, allowing the City to establish a coordinated direction for the reserve sooner. Any proposed project would still require further planning, assessment, approval and funding before it could proceed.

The City worked with reserve user groups, community organisations and key stakeholders to understand how the reserve is used and what may be needed in the future.

This included an initial user briefing, workshops between April and June 2025, input from the City’s Access and Inclusion Panel, site investigations, planning assessments and a needs analysis. The findings informed the vision and proposed projects in the draft SDP.

The initial engagement focused on clubs and community organisations that regularly use the reserve because the project was driven by their infrastructure requests and the need to understand how the site operates.

This included workshops with regular user groups, input from the City’s Access and Inclusion Panel, and site investigations. This information helped shape the draft Site Development Plan that is now available for public comment.

The broader community—including local residents, informal users and other people who regularly use the reserve—can now review the draft SDP and provide feedback before it is finalised and presented to Council for consideration.

Ten clubs and community groups were involved in the initial project briefing:

• Fremantle CBC Football Club
• Kardinya Red Sox Ball Club
• Melville Wood Turners
• Kardinya Netball Club
• Kardinya Tennis Club
• Melville City Hockey Club
• Kardinya Lakes Cricket Club
• Kardinya Bowling Club
• Lions Club of Bull Creek
• Kardinya Lakes Junior Cricket Club.

The City also worked with Kardy Connect, a local community organisation that provided valuable local knowledge and community feedback throughout the planning process.

The reserve is also used by local residents, visitors, spectators, informal recreation users and people taking part in activities at the Kardinya Community Centre.

The proposals were informed by:

• feedback from reserve user groups and key stakeholders
• the condition and age of existing infrastructure
• operational and compliance requirements
• accessibility and inclusion considerations
• participation trends and future demand
• site investigations, planning assessments and needs analysis.

The draft SDP considers needs across the reserve as a whole. Some clubs or facilities may have more projects identified than others, but this does not guarantee they will receive more funding or that their projects will be delivered first.

No. Approval of the SDP would establish a coordinated long-term direction for the reserve, but it would not approve individual projects for construction or allocate funding to them.

Before a proposal could proceed, it may require further investigation, planning, design, technical assessment, consultation, approvals, a business case, Council consideration and funding.

Community feedback may identify gaps, concerns or opportunities for the City to consider before finalising the SDP. The community is being asked whether the draft SDP has got the overall direction right and whether anything important has been missed.

The public comment period is not a vote on individual projects and does not guarantee that a project will be added, removed, relocated or reprioritised. Any proposed refinements will be considered against the evidence supporting the draft SDP, site constraints, technical requirements, broader community benefit and City-wide priorities.

The City has allocated $50,000 to prepare the Site Development Plan.

This budget supports the planning and engagement work needed to develop the draft SDP, including:

• consultation with reserve user groups and the wider community
• site investigations and needs analysis
• identification and coordination of potential infrastructure priorities
• preparation of the concept plan and supporting documentation

The $50,000 budget does not include the cost of delivering any of the projects identified in the SDP.

If the final Site Development Plan is endorsed, individual projects will require further planning, assessment, approval and funding before they can proceed. Funding may be considered through future City budgets, external funding programs and State and Australian Government grants.

There is no fixed timeframe for delivering all the proposed projects. Each project would be considered separately through the City’s future planning and budget processes.

Timing would depend on factors such as need, feasibility, priority, available funding, technical investigations and relevant approvals. Some projects may not proceed, and priorities may change over time as circumstances and community needs change.

The proposals aim to improve access to sport, recreation and physical activity while supporting the clubs and community groups based at the reserve.

Together, the proposed improvements aim to improve safety, accessibility, inclusion, connections, facilities and open spaces across the precinct for current and future users.

The benefits of each project would be considered further if it progresses to detailed planning.

No trees have been identified for removal as part of the draft SDP.

The concept plan is indicative and detailed designs have not yet been prepared. If a future project could affect existing trees, the impacts would be assessed during detailed planning and design. The City would prioritise the retention and protection of healthy trees wherever possible.

The draft SDP identifies potential upgrades to existing pathways and opportunities for new connections across the reserve.

These improvements are intended to make it easier and safer for people of different ages and abilities to move between facilities. The location, design and timing of any pathway improvements would be determined through further planning and assessment.

The draft SDP includes potential improvements to parking, access and movement within the reserve. However, it is a high-level planning document and does not contain the detailed designs needed to confirm future traffic or parking impacts.

Traffic, parking, access, safety and potential impacts on nearby streets would be assessed as individual projects are developed. Any required mitigation measures would be considered through that process.

The draft SDP identifies a potential future location for renewed playground infrastructure.

The playground renewal would be a separate project under the City’s Playground Capital Works Program. Its design, timing and funding have not been determined. The community would have an opportunity to provide input as that project progresses.

Any temporary closure would depend on the future design and construction program and cannot be confirmed at this stage.

Council is the decision-maker for the Site Development Plan.

After public comment closes, the City will review the feedback and consider whether any refinements should be made to the draft SDP. A summary of the engagement outcomes, any recommended changes and an officer recommendation will then be presented to Council.

Council will decide whether to endorse the final Site Development Plan. If endorsed, it will guide future planning and funding considerations for infrastructure projects at Morris Buzacott Reserve. Individual projects will still require further assessment, approval and funding before they can proceed.

We want our engagement process to be accessible by all. In addition to the online survey, you can share your feedback by contacting us:

• Over the phone, 9364 0755
• In person, at the City of Melville Administration Building located at 10 Almondbury Road, Booragoon WA

The community is being asked whether the draft SDP has got the overall direction right, including:

• whether the vision reflects community aspirations for the reserve
• whether there are issues with any of the proposals
• whether any important opportunities, improvements or facilities have been missed
• whether any proposals may work better in a different location
• any other matters the City should consider before finalising the Site Development Plan
• The community is not being asked to approve individual projects, allocate funding or determine when proposals will be delivered

Feedback will be reviewed and considered before the final Site Development Plan is presented to Council. Providing feedback does not guarantee that a project will be added, removed, relocated or reprioritised.

We ask for basic details such as your name or suburb to help ensure feedback is genuine, understand who we’ve reached, and improve future engagement.

We take your privacy seriously. Any personal information you provide is managed in line with the Australian Privacy Principles under the Privacy Act 1988 and is used only to support engagement, analyse feedback and share relevant updates.

Learn more: https://www.melvillecity.com.au/privacy

Yes. You may assist someone to complete a submission on their behalf, provided you have their consent. Alternative ways to participate are also available. Feedback can be provided online, by phone, or in person, and the City of Melville can assist if required.

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Community feedback helps us understand different perspectives and potential impacts. When preparing your submission:

• Start early and review the project information
• Be informed by reading the FAQs and seek clarification if needed
• Focus on facts and clearly explain your views
• Describe how the proposal may affect you or your community
• Submit one clear response before the closing date