A new tourist attraction planned for South Perth foreshore will rob Sir James Mitchell Park of beloved community space, according to the local ratepayers' association.
"The City of South Perth wants to build an unneeded facility right in the middle of Sir James Mitchell Park, that would not only rob the park of more than 2000 square metres of existing open space, but create an architectural eyesore in the centre of the suburb's greatest natural asset," said spokeswoman Cecilia Brooke.
"Plans are to convince federal and state governments and private investors to provide $7 million for a project named Westralian Centre, that will replicate already existing exhibition space across Perth.
"So far, the council is yet to satisfactorily explain why such a project is necessary or why it wants to develop a facility that will have a permanent impact on the outstanding visual appeal of one of Australia's most pristine and appealing parkland areas."
The centre, 300 metres west of Coode St Jetty, will include an exhibition space to "celebrate, commemorate and remember moments of local, state and national significance" as well as an outdoor recreation space, small theatrette, cafe restaurant, office and gift shop, according to the City's website.
The vision is for a "cultural facility of state significance, a unique attraction for the City's local community, visitors and all West Australians".
"Initial concept drawings illustrate the architect-designed facility built into the landscape, with public open spaces to complement the surrounding reserve, natural environment and river," its website says.
"The concept design incorporates best practice environmental and sustainability principles. This includes passive solar design, rainwater harvesting and the use of natural materials such as stone, exposed concrete, anodised aluminium and bronzing to optimise the life of the building."
The City's website also points out that the concept is part of a longer term strategic planning for the foreshore that has been subject to extensive community engagement processes.
The residents' association believes the proposal is being "pushed along with unnecessary haste" and are concerned about parking, the site's vulnerability to flooding and how much of the $7 million will end up being ratepayer-funded.
It has successfully petitioned for a special electors' meeting to be held on June 8 at 6pm. Residents can contact the city to express interest in making a statement or asking questions.
In addition to a survey sent to neighbouring residents the council has a feedback form on its website open until June 2.
Meanwhile, on the other side of the troubled Mill Point peninsula, two residents are again launching Supreme Court action against the Lumiere luxury tower development's latest incarnation.
Karyl Nairn and Ric Hawley are self-funding the bid for judicial review of the local Development Assessment Panel's most recent approval of a this time 34-storey design, with a mix of commercial space, residential space and serviced apartments at 74 Mill Point Road.
Opponents believe there is a problem with the ratio of commercial to residential space and that as a result the building will not bring the promised level of commercial activity to the strip.
Neither residents nor council could appeal planning decisions through the State Administrative Tribunal as the WA planning system did not allow "third party" appeals, Save the South Peninsula Action Group spokeswoman Vicki Redden said.
Developers, being party to the planning application, can make repeated appeals to SAT over any conditions set upon their development, leading to widespread talk in Perth among councils and residents over the past year that the system is skewed to favour developers.
"Most residents do not have the means to mount a judicial review but it is currently the only way," Ms Redden said.
"The individual investors in these planned developments are as much the losers as the local residents - while developers continue to be allowed to lodge variation after variation of the approval conditions, to maximise profits, investors will never have the required certainty to understand exactly what they are getting into."
She called on new Minister for Planning, Rita Saffioti, for system reform.
The life of Lumiere: Perth's most controversial high-rise
- May 2015: City of South Perth recommends approval to Development Assessment Panel: DAP gives approval.
- February 2016: residents' Supreme Court appeal overturns 29-storey approval. Edge already has backup plan.
- March 2016: Edge reapplies to council with 44-storey design
- July 2016: Council recommends DAP refusal over height, setback, land use and traffic concerns; DAP knocks back development
- July 2016: Edge launches State Administrative Tribunal appeal; SAT orders DAP to reconsider
- October 2016: DAP approves a 34-storey design. Council considers court appeal but concedes defeat.
- May 2017: Residents again appeal to the Supreme Court.
