Perth Voice Interactive

IT’S already a decade late, what’s a few more months to bring in Vincent council’s new city planning scheme that’ll change the future of the city.

Councillors have had to defer their decision on sending the CPS 2 off to the state government for approval.

Because changes are so widespread some councillors’ homes are caught up in it. John Carey is seeking advice from WA local government minister Tony Simpson about whether affected councillors can vote. Major areas of contention for the new CPS include:

• Charles Street, where residents are worried about a new CPS allowing Charles Hotel owners to build a whopper development;

• Claisebrook, where the council wants to use the CPS to see an end to two concrete batching plants and make it into a more residential area;

• West Perth, where some locals don’t want to see five historic buildings along Newcastle Street bulldozed to make way for mixed office/apartment blocks.

The West Perth area attracted a lot of feedback from landowners keen on maximising the storeys they can whack on the blocks there. Bigger limits would see seven levels allowed on Newcastle, a potential goldmine for property owners.

One owner said allowing bigger buildings “will bring much needed vitality and interest to that area”.

The council’s looking like it’ll go for a more moderate increase to height limits.

by DAVID BELL