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| The recently closed Stirling Centre is set to be replaced by a four storey office building on the Prinsep Street. Image: Sean Van Der Wielen |
The Stirling Centre is set to be consigned to history, with developers planning an office building on the site.
In a submission to the City of Bunbury, Primewest announced its plan to demolish the building after it decided to not go ahead with already approved redevelopment plans.
Under the original plans, the Stirling Centre was to be refurbished and merged with the nearby Bunbury Centrepoint Shopping Centre.
"This previous approval was not enacted, due to the onset of COVID-19 and the changing market demand factors," the developer said.
The new proposal will see the development of a new four storey office building on Prinsep Street, with the Stephen Street half of the site to be developed at a later date.
The proposed building will be set back at its Western end to better improve the visibility of the heritage-listed Bunbury Women's Club.
Some local residents appear to be less than enthusiastic about the proposal, with many commenting on the City of Bunbury's Facebook page about the "existing empty buildings" within the CBD.
Former councillor Murray Cook believes the comments are misguided.
"Bunbury lost Worsley and Albemarle to Australind because of insufficient office space," he said.
"Working and living in the CBD will activate it."
The Stirling Centre has been a part of Bunbury for nearly 50 years, when it opened as the Boans department store.
It began trading as Stirling's in 1986 following the sale of Boans’ regional stores by Myer.
The department store was redeveloped into a retail centre following the collapse of Stirling’s successor Harris Scarfe in 2001.
The Stirling Centre closed at the end of January, with most remaining tenants moving to Bunbury Centrepoint.
Public submissions on the proposal are open until March 11. Anyone wanting to submit a proposal can do so at records@bunbury.wa.gov.au
