Shaping Broome Together – Community Driven Precinct Plans
Published on 28 March 2025
At the Ordinary Council Meeting on 27 March 2025, the Shire of Broome considered the community feedback and formally adopted the Cable Beach Precinct Structure Plan and the Chinatown Old Broome Precinct Structure Plan, marking a significant step in shaping the future of these key areas.
The adoption of these plans follows extensive community consultation and detailed planning to ensure a balanced approach to growth, development, and heritage preservation. The plans will now be submitted to the Western Australian Planning Commission (WAPC) for final approval.
What these plans mean for the community
The Precinct Structure Plans provide a clear vision for the future of the Cable Beach precinct and Chinatown Old Broome precinct, ensuring future development aligns with community needs and aspirations. These plans will replace previous strategies and create a framework to guide future developments and improvements in public spaces.
Some of the amendments to the Cable Beach Precinct Structure Plan include increasing the default residential development potential to 50 per cent, with the possibility of up to 70 per cent in some cases where conditions are met. Further, smaller lots along Sanctuary Road can be developed without the need for tourist development, if the new development can achieve an active street front and the commercial uses are on the ground floor. These changes aim to encourage more housing, create a lively and activated precinct, and deliver on the vision of a vibrant year-round precinct for everyone.
For Chinatown Old Broome, the plan aims to celebrate and protect the area’s cultural heritage while enabling redevelopment and revitalisation. Key amendments in this area include a review of zoning and residential densities to streamline mixed-use zoning and increase residential densities in select locations, enabling greater housing choice and a more diverse dwelling mix.
Shire President Chris Mitchell welcomed the adoption of the plans, stating, “We’ve worked hard to strike the right balance between supporting growth and development while respecting the rich cultural heritage of both Chinatown Old Broome and Cable Beach precincts. These plans reflect our commitment to maintaining the unique character of these areas while embracing opportunities for growth.”
“Community consultation has been at the heart of these plans. The feedback we received from residents, businesses, and local groups has been invaluable in creating a vision that is both forward-thinking and deeply rooted in the values of our community.”
Full amended plans can be viewed here