NEW homes are going to be higher to create greater vibrancy near train stations in Mosman Park’s newly-certified local planning scheme.
“We’re already talking to two developers, one in Glyde Street and one nearby, and we’ve got about 10 mums and dads who are sub-dividing,” Mayor Brett Pollock said.
Certified last month after eight years of debate, the scheme will allow about five to six storeys in key sites including the Glyde Street precinct, Wellington and Victoria streets and part of Stirling Highway.
Get in front of tomorrow's news for FREE
Journalism for the curious Australian across politics, business, culture and opinion.
READ NOWSome owners of single homes will have greater access to subdivision, including an area south east of the Wellington Street shopping centre, and homes and new businesses will be mixed in commercial areas.
Mr Pollock said not only would the changes enliven the town, but it would bring the suburb in line with the State Government planning regime Directions 2031 which demand the council house more residents for 3.5 million people in Perth in 15 years.
“We’ll still have the choice of many parks we’ve already got, and we want to maintain that, but we also want people to come here and have modern lives,” he said.
New buildings on Wellington Street would change the effect of “dinosaur” public housing and its claimed anti-social behaviour, and any extra traffic would be alleviated by the apartments’ designs and more school buses.
However, high-rise apartments and development on the railway line have radically changed Claremont in the past decade.
“We’re hoping to retain the village atmosphere which Claremont hasn’t got,” Mr Pollock said.
The model for mostly two-storey Glyde Street opposite the Mosman Park railway station is the area around Angove Street in North Perth, with apartments complemented by small bars and new shops at ground level.
“That’s were we anticipate we’ll have the upmarket dwellings,” executive manager of planning Gabriela Poezyn said.
To get any height bonus, proponents will have to show their designs have fulfilled the planning scheme’s demands, including better shops and services at street level, more trees, environmentally sustainable designs and keeping heritage.
However, it is anticipated proposals will go to the unelected joint development assessment panels, leaving councillors only to negotiate so the designs fulfil the scheme’s demands.