ABOUT 100 Landsdale residents who turned out to the Wanneroo council meeting last night celebrated a decision to limit infill redevelopment density.
The council agreed to change a staff recommendation to rezone seven special residential lots east of Warradale Terrace to residential with a R20 code rather than the R40 applied for.
During deputations prior to the council meeting, Burgess Design Group director Jon Burgess said he had been involved in planning projects in Landsdale since about 1991 and knew the area well.
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READ NOWMr Burgess said the area had changed since those lots were zoned special residential, and rural properties east of them had since been subdivided into residential lots.
He said Perth now had density targets and a drive towards creating a greater mix of housing types for younger or older couples, describing the existing housing mix as “vanilla”.
“It was our advice for the landowners to seek R40; an appropriate density that provided much needed housing in the area,” he said.
While his company provided concept plans that showed the R40 site could allow for 62 to 106 dwellings, Mr Burgess said initial development was likely to be closer to the lower figure.
“We anticipate that the existing homes will be retained in the short to medium term,” he said.
“It’s not flats; it’s not going to be State Government housing; it’s affordable but not cheap housing.
“We think it’s an opportunity not to be missed.”
Two of the property owners gave deputations, and said they had lived in the area for about 20 years, initially attracted by its sense of community and they hoped the council would consider the application on its merits.
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Asked about Telstra’s buffer for the Perth International Telecommunication Centre east of Alexander Drive, Mr Burgess said he believed advances in technology would have led to changes in the buffer.
However, planning consultant Amanda Butterworth later gave a deputation representing Telstra and said the provider opposed the R40 proposal as the special residential zoning was designed to minimise radio frequency interference with the satellite tracking.
She said the subject lots were located on a ridgeline, whereas development in east Landsdale had a lower topography.
“Telstra is very concerned about multi-storey, multi-unit development being approved (in the future),” she said.
Nearby residents John Pellegrini, Stuart Bastian and Kim Kustra gave a joint deputation, asking the council to approve the rezoning but only to R20 not R40.
Mr Pellegrini said the nearest shops were a 10-minute walk from the subject site and there were not enough bus services, with one route only operating on weekdays and not during school holidays.
He said some people had taken about 90 minutes to get to Joondalup using public transport, compared to 16 minutes by car.
Mr Bastian said residents were concerned that the concept plans showed each dwelling would have a single garage, and no visitor parking, which might lead to people parking around Warradale Reserve.
When the council considered the report, councillor Domenic Zappa, who declared an interest because he lived nearby, successfully moved an amendment to the recommendation to limit the residential code to R20.
The unanimous vote to approve the amended recommendation generated a round of applause in the council chambers, where residents were seated with ‘Save our amenity’ and ‘R20 is plenty’ placards.
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