James Street is about to be even more bustling as the City of Perth council recently agreed to a $22.8 million plan to revamp the Northbridge street. Considered the spine of the city’s nightlife, the area will see upgrades come almost 20 years after the last revamp in 2006. Read all about this upcoming revitalisation, including a potential timeline for completion.
Northbridge’s James Street to get a massive renewal soon
Connecting Russell Square, Northbridge Piazza and the Perth Cultural Centre, James Street is an important cultural hub in the WA capital. To strengthen its position as a heritage location, the revitalisation focuses on creating a people-forward environment. This project covers all of James Street from Fitzgerald Street to William Street. Think more urban greenery, wider footpaths, functional lighting, public art, and flexible event infrastructure. For the latter, the city has planned retractable bollards at Lake and William Street.
Temporary closures were first tested in October 2022. Ensuring ease of clearing the area for events became increasingly necessary after stakeholder meetings. Since November 2024, frequent community feedback has been implemented. With over 2,800 visits and 264 survey responses, the plan’s public engagement has been positive; 83 per cent of responders agreed or strongly agreed with where it was going.
The impact assessment posits that the James Street Revitalisation Project will invite up to $34 million in private investment in five years. Additionally, it has a projected cost-benefit ratio of 3.20 (for every dollar invested, it will yield $3.20 in community and economic benefits). As a result, the $22.8 million price tag seems justified, with calculated benefits of $53.5 million in 20 years.
The plan requires more funds than the City of Perth allocation, and various grants and contributions from the WA government are under consideration.
With the detailed design underway, the council anticipates that construction will begin by 2028. For more details, check out the City of Perth website.
