City of Nedlands forced to increase housing density by Planning Minister Rita Saffioti

Updated

The West Australian Government will compel the City of Nedlands to change its outdated town planning scheme after years of community and council opposition to higher density housing in the affluent western suburb.

Key points: The City of Nedlands has been working on a town planning scheme since 2002

Planning Minister Rita Saffioti has now intervened to force an infill target

The higher density plan will target key transport networks and education centres

Nedlands has one of Perth's lowest metropolitan densities and its current planning scheme has been in place since 1985.

The council has previously resisted calls to allow for greater urban infill, arguing it would lead to traffic and environmental issues and impact on the character of the leafy suburb that is known for its sprawling verges and big backyards.

Work started on a new planning scheme in 2002 and was advertised in 2017, attracting more than 1000 public submissions.

But the council did not cooperate in the process, refusing to provide any guidance to the West Australian Planning Commission or the State Government on what amendments were necessary to get the scheme over the line.

Now Planning Minister Rita Saffioti has intervened.

"Perth has grown, as we've seen, and we really need to try to focus on how we can create more opportunities for people to live in some of our existing suburbs," Ms Saffioti said.

"What normally happens is that council endorses a scheme, sends it back and I make the ultimate decision. So this is not how it normally plays out.

"I would have preferred to have had the council involved right until the last point, but they chosen not to."

Mayor attacks lack of consultation

Nedlands Mayor Max Hipkins lashed out at the decision, accusing the Government of shifting the goal posts by repeatedly changing the target for the number of new dwellings in the suburb.

He also rejected the suggestion that the council had not been cooperative.

"I am angry about this," Mr Hipkins said.

"Nedlands understands the need for higher density and this should be achieved in a consultative manner.

"Done in the high-handed way that it is being done, it won't achieve its objectives."

The mayor accused the Government of playing politics.

"I think it's all about power," he said.

"They just want to keep the western suburbs under the thumb and let us know who's boss.

"We're blue-ribbon seats, that's the underlying reason."

Mr Hipkins said the council would take some time to review the plan but was also considering its legal options.

Density targeted around transport, activity centres

Ms Saffioti said Nedlands had been given a target of creating 4,400 new dwellings by 2050.

Most of the increased density would be around Stirling Highway, the Queen Elizabeth II Medical Centre precinct and the University of Western Australia.

"We have to be realistic that we need places for people to live and we need to make sure that they're connected to transport, to hospitals and education opportunities," she said.

"More than 75 per cent of the area isn't affected.

"I believe this scheme strikes the right balance between ensuring the character of Nedlands remains while allowing the city to accommodate a population with changing household needs."

Scheme designed for developers, says residents' group

Nedlands Electors Association chair Guy Churchill said he was not convinced the new plan would deliver more housing options for residents.

“The plan itself is just a rezoning. It doesn't really give you what's going to be put [there] and what the design is actually going to be,” he said.

Mr Churchill described the proposed scheme as "really a developer's plan".

"If they decide that commercial is more viable in a mixed use area, they'll minimise their residential [development], maximise their commercial and we've actually got a situation very similar to other areas, like West Perth," he said.

"Some of the areas are very small lots and you need to combine two or three lots to actually make a viable outcome."

The new scheme will now be submitted to the City of Nedlands for finalisation.

Topics: urban-development-and-planning, states-and-territories, local-government, perth-6000, wa, nedlands-6009

First posted