L-R: Lisa Last of Bassendean with her son Spike (2) and Cr Renee McLennan (Mayor, Town of Bassendean).
Camera IconL-R: Lisa Last of Bassendean with her son Spike (2) and Cr Renee McLennan (Mayor, Town of Bassendean). Credit: Supplied/David Baylis

Bassendean releases draft verge policies

Kristie LimEastern Reporter

GROWING vegetables and fruit trees on residential verges in the Town of Bassendean is about to get easier.

The Town has released draft verge treatment and maintenance policies and street verge guidelines, which detail what residents can grow on their verges, for public comment.

They provide provisions for planting edible gardens, fruit trees and garden beds and installing infrastructure such as seating and little free libraries.

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For simplicity, verge upgrades that comply with the new policies will not have to go through an approval process.

If the council approves the policies, it will join Bayswater, Vincent and Stirling in allowing residents to beautify verges without approval.

Bassendean currently has a verge treatment and maintenance policy which allows certain native plants and street trees to be planted, subject to height requirements.

Lisa Last with spike and Mayor Renee McLennan. David Baylis
Camera IconLisa Last with spike and Mayor Renee McLennan. David Baylis Credit: Supplied/David Baylis

Mayor Renee McLennan said the Town wanted to make it easier for people to transform their verge without “unnecessary obstacles or red tape”.

“Verges are one of our largest public open spaces… they are so under-utilised,” she said.

“We are hoping it will inspire people with ideas about ways we could transform our verges.”

The Bassendean Verge Transformation Project group, which helped transform 16 verges over the past three years, played a big part in facilitating change.

“Some of the things that the new policy will allow were potentially allowed by the old policy but it just wasn’t very understandable,” group member Lisa Last said.

“We are in a town where our backyard spaces are changing so dramatically.

“We are building up in our backyards, so these spaces are becoming more important.”

The Town will hold an event with Gardening Australia’s Josh Byrne on August 25 from 9am to 1.30pm at Swan Districts Football Club.

Residents have until August 30 to provide feedback via a survey on the Town’s YourSay website or emailing yoursay@bassendean.wa.gov.au.

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