Over the last 12 months, we have been working to develop a draft Precinct Plan for Cowaramup. The draft is now complete, and we’d like to know if the community thinks we’ve got it right.


Precinct Plan and Neighbourhood Centre Character Controls

The Cowaramup Precinct Plan uses previous studies including the Cowaramup Character Study and Cowaramup Integrated Transport Strategy to define the future of Cowaramup’s townsite and surrounds from now through to 2036.

The Precinct Plan provides concept plans for achievable, shorter-term improvements to the road network along Bussell Highway and on surrounding streets connecting to Bussell Highway.

The projects have been broken down into short (1-3 years), medium (4-7 years) and long term (7-10 years). Details about this can be found in the Prioritisation Table

Bussell Highway is a major traffic route that carries large vehicles, including trucks. With no alternative route through town, we can’t build some types of traffic interventions, like the small roundabouts you can see in the Margaret River town centre.

If Cowaramup was to get a perimeter road in the future, this could open up opportunities for additional traffic calming to be included.

It also provides guidance on future development of commercial lots through the Cowaramup Neighbourhood Centre Character Controls, which will guide building design, materials, vehicle access, parking, landscaping and signage.

The intent of the Precinct Plan is to provide the Cowaramup community with a clear expectation on the future of the townsite and provide the Shire with a basis for ongoing liaison with and advocacy to Main Roads WA.

The Precinct Plan has been developed with three guiding principles in mind.

  • Pedestrian focussed streetscape
  • Improving access
  • Maintaining Cowaramup’s character

In the survey on this page, we are asking the community to let us know if the plans we’ve included in the Precinct Plan will improve the way pedestrians, cyclists and cars can travel through Cowaramup.

Perimeter Road

We are also asking the community to let us know if they are supportive, or not, of a perimeter road around Cowaramup.

During consultation for the Cowaramup Integrated Transport Strategy (CITS) in 2024, we heard that the Cowaramup community is interested in investigating a perimeter road around the town.

After we heard that feedback, we asked Main Roads WA what they needed from us before they looked into a perimeter road. They let us know that we need to demonstrate community support for the project to progress to the next stage. We're asking questions in the survey below to help us do that.

If the community is supportive, Main Roads will work on a feasibility study for the potential perimeter road. If there isn’t community support for the perimeter road, this project will not go any further at this time.

A feasibility study is the first phase of any major roads project, where Main Roads will review available information, identify a potential route and develop a business case to assess whether a project should progress.

At this stage, the location of the potential perimeter road is not known and there is no timeline for construction.

The results of the survey will be presented to Council and then shared with Main Roads WA. Once Main Roads receives this information from the Shire, it will be up to Main Roads to progress the project further.

If you’re not sure what a perimeter road is, we've explained it in more detail in the FAQs on this page.

To have your say, please complete the short survey below. This survey will close at 4pm on Monday 4 May 2026.

Hard copies of the survey are available on request, please visit us in person, email amrshire@amrshire.wa.gov.au or call us on 08 9780 5255.