Scarborough could get another beachfront high-rise, with plans for a $90 million, 24-storey apartment tower across the road from Brighton Reserve now open for public comment until 22 November 2026.
The proposal from Blackburne Property Group is before the Western Australian Planning Commission, The Urban Developer reports. Some locals are not happy about it.
What's planned
The tower would sit on a 3594 square metre site at 202 and 204 The Esplanade, toward the end of a cul-de-sac facing Brighton Reserve and Brighton Beach. The site combines a vacant block and a smaller lot with a two-storey house, which would be knocked down.
Designed by MJA Studio, it would have:
- 82 apartments: 76 with three bedrooms and six with two bedrooms
- a two-storey podium with a rooftop pool, lounge and dining area
- 186 car bays, 82 bicycle bays and 19 motorcycle bays
Local press coverage of the plan says the tower would be about double the height the current planning recommendation allows for that stretch of The Esplanade, and would rise above the Rendezvous Hotel, WA's tallest coastal building.
Photo: Ché Lydia Xyang via Wikimedia Commons (CC BY-SA 3.0). Brighton Beach, Scarborough.
Why locals are worried
Residents who spoke to the ABC said the tower's residents would take up the beach's last remaining parking, and that its shadow would fall on Brighton Reserve and the popular kiosk below.
"Love development but the shade that things cause and cast over the places that we love like parks and the streets is probably what concerns me the most." - Scarborough local, speaking to the ABC
Another local called the parking near the beach "an absolute nightmare", even in winter. One man said he understood Perth needed more homes, but worried a tower on the coast would mostly deliver expensive apartments in the middle of an affordability crisis.
Perth is split
Locals discussing the plan online were divided. Some said Scarborough was the logical place for coastal density and that more people would get to enjoy beachfront living. Others worried the apartments would sit empty as investments or end up as short-stay rentals.
"I don't have an issue with the high rises, I love apartment living but please someone fix the West Coast Highway x Scarborough Beach Road intersection." - Perth local
Parking dominated the debate. Some argued new apartments should come with fewer car bays to keep costs down and push people onto public transport, while others said off-street parking was a must in a car-dependent city. One local pointed out a silver lining for summer: a bit of afternoon shade might be welcome on a hot beach, though another noted the sun sets over the ocean.
What the developer says
A Blackburne spokesperson said the development responded appropriately to the area.
More towers on the way
It is not the only tall building in the works for Scarborough. The Urban Developer reports a site across West Coast Highway from Scarborough Beach already has approval for a 24-storey build-to-rent tower, extended by the City of Stirling to July 2030, and is now on the market. A neighbouring site was approved last month for a 26-storey build-to-rent tower that will overshadow the Rendezvous.
Scarborough's foreshore has been transformed over the past decade with state and local government money, including the 50-metre Scarborough Beach Pool, new open space, venues and shops.
How to have your say
Public comment on the Blackburne tower closes on 22 November 2026. The City of Stirling can help with questions about planning in Scarborough.
Sources: The Urban Developer; ABC News; local press coverage; comments from Perth locals.
Hero photo: Benjamin Shaw via Wikimedia Commons (CC BY-SA 4.0). File photo of Scarborough Beach and the foreshore, not the Brighton Beach site.
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