This leafy spot could’ve been high density housing.

A PARKLAND near Maylands Brickworks will be protected from high density development after being rezoned this week.

The council-owned park between Maylands Brickworks and Peninsula Road had long been zoned “medium and high density residential”, meaning a council short on cash could find it easy to sell off or develop and rent out.

In 2019 Bayswater councillor Elli Petersen-Pik put up a motion to rezone the park public open space. A long rezoning process involving negotiations with various state government departments followed. 

The rezoning motion was supported by locals, and had just two no-votes when it came to the final council vote in July this year: Cr Filomena Piffaretti and Michelle Sutherland.

Cr Piffaretti, now mayor following October’s election, said in July the council needed revenue streams other than rates, and developing the land could help towards the $20m-$30m needed to restore the old brickworks.

“Where are we going to get $20m to $30m to do that?” Cr Piffaretti asked. “This was an opportunity that the city could have had to develop medium and high density living resulting in a new revenue stream for the city that could’ve contributed to the reactivation of the Maylands Brickworks site.”

But the majority voted to rezone and with the approval of state planning minister Rita Saffioti the change was made official in a government gazette on November 5. 

Cr Petersen-Pik called the rezoning terrific news, saying “I am relieved knowing that this area is now protected and is unlikely to be considered for potential sale or development by any future council”. 

He thanked the Friends of Maylands Brickworks for their advocacy on the rezoning and described the area as “long-established parkland which is important to so many people in our community”.