Perth Voice Interactive

Developers are circling like sharks to snap up newly sub-dividable blocks in Vincent.

Due to an unforeseen quirk in new WA government rules, blocks as small as 240sqm can now be divided into tiny lots in parts of Vincent’s historic residential suburbs. Some 578 newly eligible lots exist across the city, and the council’s worried old houses will be bowled over for tomahawk blocks (tiny battle-axes).

The council’s trying to close the loophole before a goldrush of demolitions gets underway but Cr Josh Topelberg this week revealed “developers are looking in the City of Vincent to find a block affected by this”. He told colleagues he’d received a phone call from someone asking “is it true that there are opportunities now that you’re going to close the doors on?”. He’d declined to answer, suggesting the person do their own research.

“developers are looking in the City of Vincent to find a block affected by this”.

“Through the joys of bureaucracy that window will be open for a while,” he added.

The council put its wheels in motion last night, voting to formally go ahead with former Cr Dudley Maier’s plan to “rezone” areas around Hyde Park and Cleaver Precinct to stop already tiny blocks being subdivided. While technically classed as a rezoning, they characterised it as restoring the status quo from before the WA government snafu.

It’ll now be sent off to the WA government for a red tape adventure that could take 18 months.

by DAVID BELL