THE Malaga local area plan adopted by the City of Swan council earlier this month says whilethe suburb retains its core function in the industrial and manufacturing sector there is a shift toward the service sector focusing on service industries.

The Malaga local area plan (LAP) background report 2025 says a recent example of this is the state’s new screen production facility located in Malaga which is likely to contribute to increasing activity in the art and creative industry sectors and related activities.

Technically the Perth Film Studios is not in Malaga but in the neighbouring suburb of Whiteman as reported in Works underway at film studio site.

It has access off Marshall Road and Beechboro Road North and is close to Ballajura train station.

The Malaga LAP dated August 2025 – presented to the July 9 council meeting – said Malaga had almost reached its full development capacity with only 10ha of land there still to be developed and was now the second largest industrial centre in WA behind Kewdale-Welshpool.

“Containing 2686 businesses that employ more than 17,146 people, it has become a cultural melting pot with people from a range of backgrounds travelling there to work every day,’’ the LAP report said.

Malaga is an important industrial centre for the City of Swan providing more than 17,146 jobs and contributing to more than one-third of the local government area’s total economy.

According to Swan Engage community consultation on the updated LAP ran from February 3 to March 16 with in person events and pop-ups as well as a social media campaign and resulted in 436 survey responses and 177 individual comments.

The minutes from the July 9 meeting said community priorities were identified, considered and assisted in shaping the following final priorities for the suburb to inform future actions for the city through its normal business planning and budget processes.

These include increasing available parking and improving management of both on-street and off-street parking areas and improving road conditions through increased monitoring and ensuring road suitability to accommodate various transport needs.

Other priorities include increasing support for businesses by encouraging services for workers and surrounding residents (e.g. lunch bar, retail, restaurants etc.) and increasing tree canopy cover and enhance the protection of natural environment assets.

Improving connectivity via public transport and pedestrian and cycle networks was another priority.   

“Although these priorities will in the main guide future actions through the city’s normal business planning process, it should be noted that in this instance the city is already progressing a project to review and consider potential improvements to parking and footpath connectivity in the Malaga local area,’’ the city said.

The Malaga LAP dated August 2025 was passed as part of an en bloc motion.