Luxury high-rise not the way to go in South Perth

THE Save the South Perth Peninsula campaign is not anti-development.

We support the need for infill and higher density development to account for Perth’s likely population growth by 2050.

Indeed, South Perth leads the way in higher density for all suburbs in the metropolitan area.

One of the reasons we find the development at 74 Mill Point Road so objectionable is that it does not deliver environmentally responsible infill and is antipathetic to the kind of community-spirited approach to increased density that we believe is essential to combat urban sprawl in Perth.

Luxury high-rise apartment blocks are not socially responsible developments.

They simply cater to second-home and/or foreign buyers without adding anything to the available stock for first-home buyers or those on an average annual salary, and do not solve any housing problems for a growing population.

Research shows that high-rise residential apartments tend rarely to be owner-occupied, have high tenancy turnover and are often empty for long periods. This is socially irresponsible.

Many experienced architects and planners believe that high-rise residential apartments create “vertical ghettos” where residents hardly know each other and have little connection to the rest of the community.

In contrast, responsible infill planning schemes prioritise developments of three to eight storeys of “family-friendly” buildings which encourage long-term rental or owner-occupier status.

This is the kind of development that we believe is appropriate for 74 Mill Point Road and which should be encouraged by council.

In the Peninsula, a very significant number of the existing medium-density apartments are owner-occupied.

These residents are strongly community-minded and look out for their neighbours, adding to the village atmosphere for which South Perth is known.

VICKI REDDEN,

Save South Perth Peninsula Group.