‘Get on with it’: Premier’s frustrations boil over as $385 million Perth development drags on

West Australian Premier Roger Cook wants the developer behind a two-tower development on prime land on Perth’s riverfront that has been under construction for more than six years to hurry up and complete the project.

Construction of the $385 million EQWest towers began in 2019 and looks to be finished from the outside of the block at Elizabeth Quay, but activity on the site has slowed and the developer, CA & Associates, has not made any announcements about its future.

Construction at the $385 million EQWest towers at Elizabeth Quay appears to have stalled.Credit: Hamish Hastie

EQWest sits on lots 2 and 3 on the river side of the quay. On Friday, Business News reported the City of Perth had raised concerns about the quality of work completed on components of the project that would eventually be handed back to the city.

Asked about the pace of construction at the EQWest site on Monday, Cook vented his frustration.

“I’ve continued to talk to the minister’s office about this. I’m very frustrated,” he said.

“Look, this is a great piece of infrastructure, it is a world-class piece of real estate.

“Western Australians deserve to see that project finished. There’s residential opportunities there. There’s hospitality industry opportunities there, there’s hotel capacity opportunities there.

“It’s time for the developer to just get on with it and finish it. We are very frustrated.”

Cook said he had not spoken to the developer about the project.

WAtoday visited the site on Monday after 4pm and spotted two workers in high-vis clothing but not much else.

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The outside of the project looks mostly complete, but inside the annex connecting the towers there were still unfinished features and a lot of building materials stacked up.

EQWest includes a 180-metre, 52-storey tower and a 100-metre, 25-storey tower.

Together, the towers include 493 residential apartments, a 190-room hotel and an art gallery.

CA & Associates was also the final developer to buy into the quay with the purchase of Lot 4.

However, those plans have also stalled since being approved in October 2021.

From the outside, the towers are largely complete.Credit: Hamish Hastie

Development WA recently approved an extension to the development approval for a $400 million 54-storey tower.

CA & Associates now has until October next year to begin substantial works on the site.

That project was slated to inject 70,000 square metres of office space and 176 short-stay accommodation units into the CBD.

CA & Associates was approached for comment.

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