Perth Voice Interactive

PLANS for a $320,000 heritage facelift of Barrack Street have come unstuck following opposition from Perth city councillors.

Officers had recommended that building owners be issued grants to spruce up their properties, but councillors refused to back the idea, sending it back for a rethink.

The street is currently being upgraded to the tune of $5.8 million and staff — and Cr Reece Harley, the only “yes” vote — thought it made sense to tart up the buildings at the same time. The plan had been to spend:

• $73,000 on 123 Barrack Street (now occupied by a Salvos store) to remove steel cladding and restore the original facade;

• $97,384 on the Connor Quinlan Estate at the corner of Hay Street, to repaint the facade and relocate airconditioners and conceal modern, unsightly services; and,

• up to $150,000 on rebuilding the old Commonwealth Bank building’s facade at No 86.

Cr Harley—often in the minority on heritage issues—says the money “would have seen the restoration of the Salvation Army building and the taking down of the horrible metal mask which has blighted this building and our street for many years”.

“It is ridiculous to suggest that the city doesn’t have the money to dedicate to this precinct,” he told colleagues.

“We have a $207million annual budget, more than a billion dollars in assets, $85m in cash reserves and very low debt while the cash rate in Australia is the lowest it’s been in decades.

“We do have the financial capacity to make these kind of important investments in partnership with city ratepayers and building owners to bring about the revitalisation of parts of our city.

“This grant of $321,000 would have brought about a co-investment of $1million from the property owners which would have benefited the whole street.”

Councillors Rob Butler, James Limnios and Lily Chen were absent and Lisa Scaffidi had to step out of the room as she owns Barrack Street property (No 138, formerly the Railway Hotel).

by DAVID BELL