A SIGN went up Monday announcing Psaros had taken over development of the Beaufort Street block that’s been plagued with legal troubles. It’s almost four years now since developer Steve de Mol’s builders started sheetpiling on the site, a deep drilling process that badly damaged neighbouring buildings. The mixed office/unit development was put on hold…

ELECTED councillors are warning a high-level proposal to privatise planning applications will further erode the community’s opportunity to have a say in its own future. The fact the issue has even been raised is being used to argue the Barnett government’s introduction of development assessment panels has been a failure. The privatisation proposal has been…

The young men stride down an inner-city alley, graffiti and attitude giving their promo shot a gritty edginess. With their hipster facial hair and casual clothes, they could be the latest indi hotshots, except for one thing; in Andrew O’Connor’s case at least he never forgets he was once a school nerd. Oh, and then…

PERTH’S sister-cities across Asia will be deeply insulted if Perth city council names diminutive lanes and courts after their cities, lord mayor Lisa Scaffidi says. The PCC has floated a plan to name new roads in the Northbridge Link area after sister cities, with names like Seocho Lane, Nanjing Court, Taipei Lane and Chengdu Place…

ONE of the new roads at the Northbridge Link site could be named “Telethon Avenue” at the request of the Seven-West group. The WA government’s geographic names committee initially rejected Telethon Avenue because it “does not support the use of names of commercial businesses, trade names and non-profit organisations”. Perth city council staffers agreed, saying…

HIGHGATE photographer Alan Pead has taken photos all around the world but his first exhibition was taken entirely in his local neighbourhood. “That’s part of my message: We walk past beautiful things every day and we don’t take notice,” he says. “There’s an infinite possibility when I walk out the door and walk down the…

WARREN McGRATH isn’t ruling out a political return. The 38-year-old environmental consultant retired from Vincent council in October after one term, wanting to spend more time with family. Commitments at work—he’s state manager at Eco Logical Australia—were also consuming a lot of time, and he didn’t want to half-heartedly serve on council. “I was feeling…

AFTER a first design was rejected by Perth city council, a new plan for the Barrack Square hotel has passed its first hurdle. The PCC’s planning committee gave the new waterfront design the thumbs up Tuesday night, saying most bulk and height problems from the first draft have been fixed. “We’ve come a long way…

THE decrepit block at the corner of Newcastle and Charles Street may finally see a development. The abandoned garden ornaments centre has been empty for years and is a favourite haunt of urban explorers and graffiti artists. Various plans have been floated for it over the years: In 2008 a seven-storey office and shop development…

FORMER councillor Lyndon Rodgers warns Perth city council is losing its independent voice, with a majority of councillors now strongly aligned to lord mayor Lisa Scaffidi. One of the PCC’s most outspoken councillors, Mr Rodgers was defeated in October after just one term. He says shortly after his 2009 election to the council he’d repeatedly…