Normal text size Larger text size Very large text size ‘Halting urban sprawl’ has become a catchphrase in Perth in recent years, but it’s closer to fantasy than reality, new WAtoday analysis suggests, with councils failing to meet infill housing targets, developers struggling to convince buyers to downsize, and new plans showing suburbia set to stretch north of Yanchep and south to Waroona. The formal term for urban sprawl is “greenfield” development, which involves clearing additional land on the urban fringe for housing. About 1.4 million people are expected to make Perth home over the next 30 years. Credit:Fairfax Media Historically 70 per cent of all new development in Greater Perth has been greenfield, resulting in 2.1 million people living across 150 kilometres of suburbia north to south. The Perth and Peel@3.5 million frameworks released in March plan Perth's development needs until 2050 and don’t mention “stopping” sprawl. They speak of “minimising” greenfield development, reducing it from 70 per cent of all new development, down to 53 per cent. This 53 per cent only represents an average, however, across the four frameworks that divide Greater Perth into quarters. Central areas wear the bulk of the infill because the outer frameworks stop them sprawling outward.


The case for smaller housing About 80 per cent of all Perth housing remains detached family homes, and the sprawl continues to fragment rural land, decimate the Swan Coastal Plain’s famous biodiversity, leave people living far from amenities, and limit options for the elderly and downsizers. Warnings about the need to curb urban sprawl have been repeated over many years by government and non-government bodies including Perth’s Environmental Protection Authority, thinktank The Committee for Perth, mobility advocate the RAC and multiple reports commissioned by the Property Council of Australia. National trends, the Perth and Peel frameworks say, show that by 2050 the population will be continuing to age, single-person households will be on the rise and there will be increasing demand for smaller homes. In fact, urban planners have privately voiced concerns to WAtoday that the Perth and Peel frameworks do not go far enough to ensure these will be provided in the central region, meaning families will continue to be forced to the fringes for affordable housing. Selling the vision But anticipated future demand cannot always drive a current market.


Michael Bell established Samian Property Group in 2003 in his own community, the quiet, leafy suburb of Greenwood in the north-west framework. He said the push for infill generally came from older baby boomers looking to subdivide and downsize. But younger families, most of them first-home buyers, were still looking for space. East Green, a new higher density Greenwood development that aimed to create 138 homes on the site of a demolished primary school had to go back to the drawing board after it did not "secure the number of sales contracts needed to commence construction". This was a surprise to Mr Bell, who is not involved with the development, but had assumed the demand from downsizers in Greenwood and people wanting to live in an established suburb would easily fill the quota. An artist's impression of the East Green development in Greenwood, which has had to go back to the drawing board. Credit:East Green/Frasers Property In the FAQs of its website, East Green said it was taking into account feedback from people who reviewed the plans, saying in response "we will be offering a variety of sizes and layouts to better needs of prospective purchasers". A new sales release will be back on the agenda by 2019. Mr Bell said it was a reminder that although infill was needed, it had to be done in a way that appealed to people and fit a suburb's needs.


"I must say there has been mixed reaction from locals regarding the rezoning. Some home owners have subdivided and created a “battle axe” block at the rear of their property and then sold off the vacant block. Others are concerned that the higher density will adversely impact on the suburb and diminish its character and charm," he said. Meanwhile, Joondalup faced strident resident opposition to some of its Housing Opportunity Areas plans to rezone 10 suburbs to shoehorn in more dwellings. Edgewater residents in the City of Joondalup gathered recently to protest a medium density infill development. ‘This time it will be different’ Department of Planning, Lands and Heritage director general Gail McGowan said unlike historic sprawl, the new planning frameworks would cluster greenfield development alongside transport and activity centres and simultaneously develop necessary utilities. “Greenfield doesn’t necessarily mean detached homes,” she said. “It can mean better use of that space around train stations and major public transport corridors. “Look at Eglington, Alkimos ... areas will still be designed as greenfield but can be better at bringing people close to places of amenity.


“New shopping centres [are] now thought of as places with cinemas, developments and active spaces to encourage people to live and play nearby. “Think about the investment in the Perth to Forrestfield line, that whole Redcliffe area around the new station lends itself to housing. "It generally fits the definition of greenfield but it will still look quite different from what that has historically meant. We are not saying everyone has to go live in an apartment or a house, it’s about creating diversity and choice. Gail McGowan The infill targets, while “not mandated”, were therefore the “minimum” the government would like to see. Despite reports that 32 out of 34 councils have fallen behind on their infill development targets, Mr McGowan said this was not yet something to worry about.

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