AMIDST a housing shortage the organisation representing the development industry has identified critical infrastructure requirements across key growth corridors including Bullsbrook and North Ellenbrook, which it says will help facilitate the delivery of new homes.

Urban Development Institute of Australia (UDIA WA) said the types of infrastructure requirements identified predominantly included wastewater pump stations and trunk mains, power substations and feeder networks and intersection and road upgrades.

UDIA WA chief executive officer Tanya Steinbeck said WA had the fastest growing population in the country, there were plenty of job opportunities and the economy was strong.

“The problem is we just don’t have the housing to adequately accommodate people,’’ she said.

The UDIA’s Growth Areas Infrastructure Requirements Report outlines the infrastructure it said is needed to allow land in Bullsbrook and North Ellenbrook to more rapidly come to market.

The report said a district level wastewater pump station, pressure mains and gravity mains which was in the concept planning stage was required in five years.

It said the North Ellenbrook interchange, which was in the funded stage ($98 million but estimated to cost $118m) was required immediately and called for the transport project to be brought forward as soon as practicable.

A water reticulation trunk main required in five years’ time required an immediate funding commitment to unlock the planning process for the area.

Planning on the Henley Brook power substation should start immediately as there was less than 5MVA spare capacity.

The report said there had been no activity on the Warbrook Road or Railway Parade upgrades estimated to cost $25m each, which were both estimated to be essential in the next five to 10 years.

But although funding infrastructure would bring forward the supply of land in these corridors more land for housing is not the only issue as there is also a construction industry labour shortage and environmental concerns to be considered.

Master Builders Australia said according to the latest data from the Australian Bureau of Statistics, there were 24,900 vacant jobs nation-wide in the building and construction industry in May 2024.

In its The future of the workforce: the building and construction industry September 2024 report Master Builders Australia said the cause of the workforce shortage was a perfect storm of low productivity, high demand, an increased cost of living and doing business, high inflation and low unemployment.

On the environmental front the North Swan Land Conservation District Committee (NSLCDC) said it had been aware of the planned Residential and Industrial developments in the Bullsbrook area for a number of years.

NSLCDC chair Richard Janes said the Ellen Brook catchment was recognised by the Department of Biodiversity, Conservation and Attractions as a priority 1 catchment due to the high nutrient loading (nitrogen and phosphates) in the Ellen Brook, which ultimately flows in the Swan River.

“With residential developments already under way, another negative impact on our waterways has been identified, sediment,’’ he said.

“When the erosion and sediment control (ESC) measures are ineffective, sediment enriched run-off enters the waterways and has a detrimental impact on water quality and aquatic life.

“We have been working with the City of Swan to increase the number of compliance officers available to undertake ESC compliance checks.

“While we understand that residential and industrial developments are a fact of life, it needs to be understood that we need to work harder to ensure developments do not have a negative impact on our environment.

“We need to protect our native flora and fauna, especially our endangered Carnaby’s black cockatoos.’’

Mr Janes said people moved to the area because of the pleasant surroundings and protecting the natural environment was priority number 4 in the recent Bullsbrook local area plan.

Ellen Brockman Integrated Catchment Group executive officer Rosanna Hindmarsh said while development would proceed, the important thing was how it proceeded.

“In the north east corridor, the development will be occurring in the Ellen Brook catchment which is a priority catchment for the Swan River and estuary as it carries highest loads of nutrient and non-nutrient contaminants,’’ she said.

“It is important to limit environmental damage in the catchment to a minimum and maintain constant scrutiny of development as it proceeds.

“Of greatest concern to the catchment group is the North Ellenbrook interchange that is reported to be the highest priority and funded infrastructure item.

“Apparently, the positioning of this infrastructure has been decided by Main Roads WA and will be built over bushland and wetland directly between two waterways that lead to the Ellen Brook.

“A more appropriate area is as short distance to the north of this wetland on cleared land with direct access to roads from the proposed Ellenbrook North (west) and Ellenbrook North (east) estates.

“Unfortunately, this site is deemed too close to the Stock Road interchange, however, the distance between Stock Road and the better siting of the North Ellenbrook interchange is about the same distance between Gnangara Road interchange and that of The Promenade in Ellenbrook.’’

She said the siting of the North Ellenbrook interchange was of concern to the Ellen Brockman Integrated Catchment Group and further discussion on its placement was warranted.