Government confirms new primary school to be built in East Perth

East Perth will finally be home to a new primary school after new legislation to be introduced, giving the Queens Gardens Carpark land to the State Government.

The new school, named East Perth Primary School, will cost $150 million to build and will be located on the Queens Gardens site.

To get the go ahead, State Government have repealed the 64-year-old Chevron-Hilton Act which saw the land in question restricted to being used as a car park.

This repeal on the legislation means that land will be provided to the State Government for the construction of the school on the site, with a parcel of land being left to the City of Perth for future housing.

Education Minister Tony Buti said the school is something that has been long advocated for.

“We’re building an inner city primary school that the city has long advocated for, and we’re building a state-of-the-art primary school, which will be the biggest single investment in any primary school or any education facility in Western Australia,” he said.

Once unencumbered by legislation passing, the land retained by the City is estimated to be valued at more than $27 million, in addition, the State will pay the City an amount of $4.2 million for forgone car parking revenue.

It is expected that the new development will contribute economic benefits of more than $60 million to the City of Perth.

Perth MP and Lands Minister John Carey said the hope is to get this new school delivered as soon as possible.

“We are trying to get forward and get this school delivered and I mean again, WA taxpayers are investing more than $2 billion into the City of Perth, whether it’s the ECU campus, the WACA facility, affordable housing and now a new primary school,” he said.

“The education of local kids is too important to play politics with and the State Government is moving ahead and will deliver the school.”

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