Cottesloe Beach is to undergo a $12 million revamp that will see a stretch of Marine Parade transformed into a low-speed, European-style “urban promenade”.

The Sunday Times can today reveal a new vision drawn up by the Town of Cottesloe to “rejuvenate” the public realm of the beach.

It comes after Premier Colin Barnett, the member for Cottesloe, earlier this year said his local beach was “stuck in the past”.

The council blueprint, to be unveiled next week, includes:

TRANSFORMING Marine Parade into a 30km/h urban promenade shared by vehicles, cyclists and pedestrians.

REDESIGNING the road so that it “intentionally disadvantages” motorists and high-speed cycling groups passing through the beach.

CREATING a wide coastal boardwalk along the top of the sand dunes with ocean lookout spots, shaded seating, showers and public art.

RIPPING up car park spaces and replacing them with picnic lawns, a bigger playground and outdoor exercise equipment areas.

ENCOURAGING business investment by providing extended al fresco dining zones.

PARKING for 290 cars off Napier Street, reducing car parking at the top of the limestone terraces to just 20 spaces and introducing angled bays on Marine Parade.

Camera Icon The Town of Cottesloe's Foreshore Renewal Masterplan proposes the creation of a boardwalk along the top of the dunes at Cottesloe Beach. Credit: Supplied

Detailed costing is still to be carried out but the upgrade is expected to cost the council about $12 million.

The concept plan, peer reviewed by urban designer Linley Lutton, proposes “stitching together” the east and west sides of Marine Parade.

This “shared zone” will stretch between Forrest Street, opposite the Indiana Tea House, to the south and a new “urban square” at Eric Street to the north.

The idea is that the promenade, which will have no kerbs and use paving instead of tarmac, will be “part of the foreshore, rather than being separated from it”.

The straight road alignment will be changed to create a curving “meander” for about 500m along the beachfront. A narrow road width, compact roundabouts, raised crossing zones and the placement of planter boxers, trees and furniture will slow the speed of motorists and cyclists.

Camera Icon The Town of Cottesloe's Foreshore Renewal Masterplan. Credit: Supplied

Mr Lutton, an award-winning architect and University of WA planning lecturer, said it was based on the “naked street” concept now common in European cities.

“The concept is that the whole width of the foreshore becomes a public domain and that’s achieved by this ‘naked street’, which is the sort of thing that occurs in Europe,” he said.

He said criticisms of Cottesloe Beach were generally about the condition of buildings and it was hoped the facelift would lead to private investment.

“The whole thing that drove this is that if we can do this with the public space then the owners can feel it’s worth investing in their buildings and actually start to upgrade them,” Mr Lutton said.

Camera Icon The Town of Cottesloe's Foreshore Renewal Masterplan proposes transforming a stretch of Marine Parade into an urban promenade.Picture: Kerris Berrington Credit: News Limited

Yesterday, Mr Barnett – who in June said Cottesloe Beach was “languishing” as City Beach and Scarborough pushed ahead with redevelopments – said improving access for pedestrians and reducing traffic was “highly desirable”.

Cottesloe Council will next week also release a plan to revitalise its town centre at Station Street.

The “place making strategy” proposes turning car park spaces into alfresco dining areas – known as parklets – as well as creating “pocket parks”, improving access to the train station and screening movies at car parks.

Both documents are expected to be released for public consultation following a council meeting on October 25.

Camera Icon Cottesloe Beach is to undergo a $12 million revamp that will see a stretch of Marine Parade transformed into a low-speed, European-style “urban promenade”. File image Credit: News Limited

SMOKING BAN IN DOUBT

This is despite a public consultation on the proposal receiving no objections.

The Department of Local Government has told Cottesloe Council the move “may be viewed as an inappropriate use of powers” by a council.

In the City of Joondalup, beach smokers can be fined up to $50.

The department advised the council to consider redrafting the bylaw in a similar form to that used by Joondalup, which bans smoking only in signed areas.