Case Studies

Allara Estate

Design Feature

Type of project
Structure Plan
State
Western Australia
Location
Urban
Allara is a vibrant, self-sustaining coastal community located in the growing suburb of Eglinton, that cleverly integrates active open spaces and offers housing diversity responsive to the demands of the 21st century.
Community at the heart of design
Spanning 240 hectares, Allara was created to ensure an expedited land release and supply; design excellence, affordable living in the metropolitan area, and environmental leadership.  

DevelopmentWA together with Satterley Property Group commenced masterplanning of the site in 2012, with first lots released in 2014. Once complete, the estate will be home to approximately 10 thousand people living in 3,400 dwellings, a neighbourhood centre, schools and parks.
The Local Structure Plan was created in consultation with the Department for Planning, City of Wanneroo and all other relevant government agencies, followed by a design review. Development guidelines were formulated to manage the mix of land uses, design quality, sustainability principles and other best practice initiatives. Guided by transit-oriented development principles, the Development Contribution Plan has specified the inclusion of a number of facilities for the area, such as district playing fields, an indoor recreation centre and multi-use hard courts.
Allara is located adjacent Regional Open Space and 500 metres north of the future Eglinton train station. At the heart of Allara, near the future neighbourhood centre is Kinkuna Park and Waterplay, which has become a destination for the surrounding community and connects to a network of pathways around the estate. It is due to this extensive planning and delivery of early amenity, that Allara has attained the highest EnviroDevelopment Certification from the Urban Development Institute of Australia.
Project team
- Land owner and developer - DevelopmentWA
- Project delivery partner - Satterley Property Group
- Town Planner – Roberts Day
- Landscape Architect – Emerge Associates
- Engineer – Wood and Grieve
- Landscape construction – Phase 3
- Hydrologist – Emerge Environmental
- Environmental Consultant - Stratagen

Project cost
Approximately $2.3 Million
Health value
- Offering an abundance of leisure activities and events, Allara features attractive parks and playing fields. Playgrounds, with landscaped barbeque areas, multi-use hard courts, exercise and gym equipment have been provided to encourage active recreation.
- Pedestrian and cycle pathways link Allara to the surrounding neighbourhood and community amenities, encouraging walkability and engagement with neighbours.
- Allara was the first estate in Perth to adopt a bike share facility with Spinway to provide an alternative form of transport for residents and visitors around the estate and surrounding areas.
- In an Australian first, Kinkuna Park has been transformed into a multisensory wonderland of active outdoor fun with Playground Centre’s Smart Playground technology. Adults download the free smartphone Biba app which reacts to markers attached to playground equipment. The markers send instructions for playground games to the smartphone, creating an engaging imaginary scenario combined with outdoor play. The adult remains in control of the smartphone at all times while their children enjoy the imaginative play. The Biba app is a trial in collaboration with the City of Wanneroo.
Economic value
- Since constructed, Kinkuna Park has acted as a destination park in the northern corridor, boosting visitation especially over the summer months when the water play is active. The park links to activation of the estate, providing amenity and assisting flow through to sales.
- The City of Wanneroo has also taken notice of Kinkuna being a local destination park and subsequently utilised it as a venue for food truck events. For example, an event was held over two nights, where seven food trucks were stationed to serve approximately 700 attendees.
- The Allara Community Development Team hold regular events at the park and use many local providers, which aid in supporting local businesses and providing employment. Events such as the Kanga Markets showcase local businesses from within the estate and surrounding areas with the three events last financial year hosting approximately 20 stalls for approximately 300 attendees at each event.
- Kinkuna park also links into the Sales Office Community Space and provides an area for local groups to utilise. The area acts as a drawcard for groups and visitation to the area and allows free use of the space, coordinated via the Satterley Community Development Team.

Environmental value
- Allara has been nationally recognised by the Urban Development Institute of Australia as an environmentally sustainable development after achieving all six standards. This includes ecosystems, waste, energy, materials, water and community.
- Through a partnership with The Forever Project and The Water Corporation, Allara Estate is educating homeowners on best practice water wise gardening, including installation and ongoing maintenance. The Forever Project will also deliver free workshops at community events on the topics of water wise gardening, growing vegetables and how to improve soils.
- The Clever Lifestyle Bundle of smart incentives up to the value of $11,600 is offered to all purchasers at Allara and provides a PV system, LED lighting, and energy monitoring to assist residents to manage their energy use.
- Allara is a Master Builders Smart Waste Zone which requires a waste plan for each site. The target is for 80 percent reduction in construction and demolition waste.
- The Allara Landscaping Yard has been established allowing any excess materials from the civil construction (e.g. limestone blocks and topsoil) to be used by residents in the landscaping of their gardens and for future stages of civil works.
- Allara has been designed to support climate responsive design through lot configuration and Design Guidelines that promote solar passive built form design.
- Fauna surveys and relocation of fauna occurred prior to earthworks with seeds collected from native vegetation on site prior to the development which are in storage and are being used to re-vegetate areas within Allara. Retention of existing trees on site has been possible through re-design, including some of the most healthy, mature specimens.
- Deciduous trees are used in landscaping to achieve seasonal shading and solar penetration (rather than using built elements). Allara’s own plant, the ‘Allara Eremophila’ was selected specifically for the conditions at Allara and is a water wise native plant with flowers that attract nectar feeding birds and insects.
- The regional open space located adjacent to the development area is classified as a Bush Forever Site, and has been protected to mitigate impacts on the Carnaby’s Black Cockatoo population.

Social value
Landscaped public open spaces with inbuilt amenities such as the Community Book Share, Community Noticeboard, playgrounds, barbeque areas and pathways have been provided to encourage community connection and social engagement.

Allara offers workshops and promotional material to Allara residents to further enhance their education on sustainable living. This includes:

- Distribution of the Welcome to Allara pack which provides tips on how residents can save money when designing their home.
- Community planting day held within estate to educate residents on the importance of plants in the context of their local environment.
- ‘Allara Resident Resource’ webpage with dates and information to make moving into the estate easier.

Allara’s Community Grants Program provides the opportunity for community groups and organisations to apply for funding to support community events, activities and projects or to purchase vital equipment. This Community Grants Program is all part of a commitment to help the community grow and become self-sustainable over time.

Kinkuna Park offers free WIFI, allowing residents and visitors to connect and interact online.

Free community events with a focus on wellbeing, the environment and connectivity are offered to residents during school holidays throughout the year. Promoted as Klub Kinkuna, event partners include local sports clubs and community groups such as the Joondalup Wolves Basketball Club. Additional events voted for by the community include outdoor movie nights, pets in the park, native planting days and welcome resident Sunday Sessions which are held in the summer months.

The Allara Share Space was created by re-purposing the Sales and Information Centre for co-use by residents, local community groups and local businesses. Designs for a café as part of an expansion of this Share Space are being reviewed.

Promoting the Aboriginal heritage and culture of the area was an important consideration for DevelopmentWA and Satterley, who have a dedicated Reconciliation Action Plan to educate the community on indigenous culture through events, co-created art, messaging and displays.

Allara has a dedicated Community Development Officer who facilitates events and provides the community with resources to support the activation and growth of Allara. For example, following feedback from several of the older, mobility impaired residents that the benches at the coastal park were too low for them to utilise, the Community Development Officer facilitated the Allara Community Park Bench Project. Residents worked with a local Men’s Shed community group and the City of Wanneroo to retrofit a customised accessible park bench into an existing park for the enjoyment of all. As a community led initiative, this project was successful in empowering and building the capacity of local residents.
Use Value
- As an engaging community facility, Kinkuna Park has become a popular destination for hosting community, cultural and other special events. Since opening in 2016, Kinkuna Park has hosted over 30 events attended by approximately 10 thousand people. The City of Wanneroo and local sporting clubs have hosted events for the Alkimos-Eglinton region at Kinkuna Park. It is also a popular destination for Vacation Care providers and playgroups, having been promoted on BuggyBuddies.
- The waterplay area is a destination in itself, being the only one of its kind in the northern coastal corridor.
- The Allara share space adjacent to Kinkuna Park, provides a co-use place which is free for residents, local community groups and local businesses who are able to book the use of the space with the Allara Community Development Manager.
- In addressing safety within the community, Allara’s Clever Lifestyle Bundle includes a home security system valued at $1,000 per household. Allara is also home to a community first responder network, set up by a local resident who is helping to educate the neighbourhood with regards to first aid and responding to medical emergencies.

Stay informed. Sign up to our newsletter.

I agree that I have read and I accept the Heart Foundation's Privacy Statement.



Share by: