The Ridley Place Café redevelopment continues to progress, with key milestones now underway.
Harley Dykstra is currently re-surveying the lease area to reposition the site to a preferred central location. Once complete, the updated survey will be lodged with Landgate to enable the Department of Planning, Lands and Heritage (DPLH) to prepare a draft lease. DPLH has also confirmed its in-principal support for an extended 30-year lease term, an increase from the previously advised 20-year limit which provides greater certainty for long-term investment in the estuary-side site.
DPLH’s coastal planning team has provided updated advice for the new location, including conditions related to coastal hazard management, minimum finished floor levels (3.0m AHD), and clearly defined triggers for potential lease termination should shoreline movement, flooding or service disruption occur.
Work is concurrently progressing on essential infrastructure, with upgrades to sewer services now planned to ensure sufficient capacity for the proposed café and restaurant operations. Recent onsite workshops have also resulted in several agreed design shifts, including relocating the building footprint slightly toward the former playground area, elevating the structure on stilts, exploring a stepped alfresco layout and extending the active public space further north.
Engagement with DPLH, Development Australia and similar local governments has identified several key considerations for the project’s delivery model. These include the commercial implications of a 30-year lease for prospective operators, the potential need for ground filling even with an elevated structure, and alternative approaches where the Shire may construct and own the building before securing a tenant. Additionally, the 2026 Growing Regions Program presents a potential funding pathway should the café be incorporated into a broader precinct redevelopment, prompting a review of the existing MasterPlan.
The next phase of work will focus on concept development, including design layouts, parking requirements, site elevation and erosion-mitigation landscaping, as well as opportunities to incorporate additional foreshore amenities. Community and business engagement strategies will also be refined, alongside early discussions with prospective operators.
Local hospitality businesses within the Harvey Region who wish to learn more or discuss the project further are invited to contact the Shire’s Economic Development team at info@harveyregion.com.au