To assist the future planning of the port, Fremantle Ports completed a Buffer Definition Study in 2003. The purpose was to provide guidance for land use planning around the Inner Harbour to promote compatibility between the port and other uses.
The need for a buffer had come about because of changing circumstances. Many of the commercial and industrial uses previously located around the Inner Harbour have been replaced with other land uses, such as residential, hotel, office and recreational. This, together with the growth in trade and the need to accommodate future growth, resulted in the need to develop a buffer policy to assist both port and surrounding uses.
The purpose of a buffer policy is to provide a guide to the planning around the port so that impacts are minimised through the adoption of planning controls and other means, improving the amenity of local residents, and allowing the working port to continue to function efficiently.
Integration of study into local government planning processes
A critical component in implementing the buffer has been the supporting planning policies produced by the City of Fremantle and the Town of East Fremantle.
Read the City of Fremantle Port Buffer Area Development Guidelines.
Read the Town of East Fremantle Port Buffer Area Development Guidelines.