For most of the twentieth century, the southern side of Canning Highway between East Street and Glyde Street was lined with suburban homes. Most were small, practical houses built when the highway carried far less traffic than it does today. As Perth grew and Canning Highway became one of the city's busiest roads, the area gradually became less suited to traditional housing.

 

Over a number of years, the State Government began buying properties along this stretch of the highway. While some acquisitions helped with road management, the land was also being planned for future redevelopment because of its location close to public transport, shops, services and employment. By the late 2010s, most of the houses between 7 and 27 Canning Highway had been demolished, leaving only a few remaining.

 

Planning for the site changed with an amendment to the Town of East Fremantle's Local Planning Scheme, which rezoned the entire group of properties for higher-density residential development. Rather than being treated as individual house lots, the land was planned as a single redevelopment site suitable for apartments.

 

By early 2023, the remaining houses, including 15 and 19 Canning Highway, were owned by the Metropolitan Region Planning Authority. Demolition permits were lodged in February that year and the last houses were demolished, leaving the land vacant while planning for its future continued.

 

Site Contamination

Environmental investigations carried out after demolition, identified contamination commonly found on older residential properties. Buried building rubble, asbestos from both former buildings and fencing, as well as contaminated soil, meant the site could not be redeveloped until remediation work had been completed.

 

A remediation program was proposed for the properties along this section of Canning Highway. It would involve excavating contaminated material, removing it from the site and replacing it with clean fill so the land meets residential standards before construction can begin.

 

The project forms part of the State Government's Housing Diversity Pipeline, which aims to redevelop government-owned land for new housing in well-located areas. In East Fremantle, these sites have been identified for a medium-density residential development that will include social housing.

 

July 2025 Update

The State Government confirmed plans to redevelop the corner of East Street and Canning Highway as a new social housing development.

 

The proposal includes a three-storey building containing 34 social housing dwellings, made up of 19 one-bedroom and 15 two-bedroom homes.

 

The development forms part of the Housing Diversity Pipeline, with Foundation Housing appointed as the preferred community housing provider and DevelopmentWA overseeing the project. Funding has also been secured through the Federal Government's Housing Australia Future Fund.

 

Construction is expected to begin in 2026, with the project adding new social housing to East Fremantle as part of the State and Federal Governments’ efforts to increase the supply of affordable housing.