Libby White and other residents are unhappy with the development of Doubleview Primary School.
Camera IconLibby White and other residents are unhappy with the development of Doubleview Primary School. Credit: Supplied/Andrew Ritchie

Doubleview residents not happy with plans for second school

Lisa ThomasStirling Times

DOUBLEVIEW residents say they are prepared to fight the State Government against plans to build a second school at Doubleview Primary School.

Education Minister Peter Collier said in September the International School of WA (ISWA) would move to the Doubleview site in 2019, with $15 million to be spent on upgrading the existing facilities.

Doubleview resident Libby White said she was concerned about traffic increasing and property values plummeting over loss of ocean views.

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Ms White said she would seek legal advice over the development if it went ahead.

“This whole issue hasn’t been handled well, with little consultation with residents and parents in Doubleview,” she said.

“The general feeling is that they aren’t listening to us and this hasn’t been thought through properly.

“The fact that they are considering building an international school with teenage students next to a primary school with shared facilities is concerning.”

Doubleview Primary P&C president Rebecca Taseff said several residents had raised concerns about the development in regards to traffic congestion, the loss of green open space, fencing of the school and the impact of double-storey buildings on surrounding residential properties.

Education Minister Peter Collier assured residents and parents that the rebuilding would be beneficial to Doubleview in the long term.

He said the site was 5.7ha with significant green open space for residents and students to use.

“Rebuilding, while inconvenient in the short term, will greatly enhance their neighbourhood,” he said.

“This is no quick fix. The strategy to ease enrolment pressure in western suburbs secondary schools has been years in the making. There will be increased traffic, however traffic consultants have advised it is well within the capacity of the road network.”

Dominic Lowe, of Doubleview, said the loss of the oval at the school to make way for the ISWA would directly impact the community.

A 138-signature petition against the development drafted by Mr Lowe was presented to the City of Stirling last week.

Mr Lowe said traffic in the area was already bad and would only increase after the school moved into the suburb.

“The State Government have said they have already done a traffic plan, but this development will increase traffic ten fold, with little public transport on offer,” he said.

“We’re going to lose the oval, netball courts and basketball courts, which are used by everyone in the community. This development will negatively impact a lot of people.”

Doubleview Primary School parent Stuart McDonald said ISWA would be better at City Beach Primary School.

“It would be a lot cheaper and would make for better planning,” he said.