By Taylor Hunt
Residents of South Perth who are opposed to plans to redevelop the foreshore area want greater transparency about the project from their local Council.
Mrs Jennifer Nevard, who has helped organise the ‘Save The South Perth Foreshore’ petition says the group started after local residents felt anxious at the results of a community poll on the City of South Perth’s Foreshore 2013 and Beyond draft strategy.
“People found that they couldn’t object to anything in it, all they could do was say it was really good or really poor…there was nothing to say I don’t want this at all,” she says.
Sir James Mitchell Park is one of the areas likely to be affected by development
The proposal will eat into some of the areas surrounding Sir James Mitchell Park, areas that Mrs Nevard says are used regularly.
“We live quite close by and we see many people using that space in the morning and evenings and in pleasant weather there are people there using it in all kinds of fashions,” says Mrs Nevard.
She also says that what the council has proposed and what the community expects have been wildly different.
“Most people only wanted a small coffee shop, they aren’t interested in an elaborate development,” she says.
Mrs Nevard claims the ensuing amalgamation with the City of Victoria Park doesn’t fill local residents with a lot of inspiration for South Perth to hold onto its unique identity.
“The amalgamation thing is problematic given that some of the trading of land along the foreshore in Vic Park is not a very encouraging example for people in South Perth to look at,” she says.
But Mrs Nevard says the proposed development further along the South Perth foreshore near the Narrows Bridge isn’t the primary concern for the residents.
“That section is not directly impacting on the full use of the park…but they were also talking of developing all these nodes all the way to Burswood,” says Mrs Nevard.
The City of South Perth was unavailable for comment regarding its redevelopment plans.
To hear more of the interview with Mrs Nevard, you can listen below.
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