At the November meeting, deputy mayor Stephanie Coates moved a motion to speed up the plan by using consultants rather than in-house officers, who would cost $80,000 less. The motion overruled the council’s resolution in May to allocate $40,000 in the 2016-17 budget for the plan to be done by City officers.
The push to have the plans fast-tracked came after reports that Mr Nalder criticised Bayswater council for not having a vision for the town centre.
Mayor Barry McKenna said he wanted ammunition at the December 15 meeting to convince Mr Nalder that the Bayswater train station should be underground as part of the State Government’s airport link.
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READ NOWAs part of State Government’s plans, the Bayswater train station was only getting an upgraded toilet accessible for people with disabilities.
Cr Coates said moving plans forward was “critical” and the council needed to act now to formulate a vision, especially when Bayswater train station was the first stop from Perth.
“We don’t want the State Government to dictate our town |centre,” she said.
Cr Sally Palmer said it was the wrong time to establish plans when the City did not know what the State Government’s plans were, especially at an additional $80,000.
Bayswater Deserves Better member Tessa Hopkins said the group supported the move, with construction of a railway line to the airport a once-in-a-century opportunity for Bayswater. “This opportunity must be seized and maximised, but also managed, because it will bring major planning challenges to Bayswater,” she said.
“In its current form, Bayswater town centre faces significant layout, accessibility and planning challenges.
“The commercial precinct is cut in half by the railway line and dissected by a tangle of roads.”