PADD and City of Nedlands Correspondance
Paola Lovi - 03 May, 2008
Subject: PADD Update to Supporters - 03 May
Dear PADD supporters,
So much positive progress has taken place since our last update to you all dated 14 March and it is a pleasure to report further to you.
First of all, as you will all be aware of by now, Council and the Administration has recognised the force of public opinion through the residents' submissions to Council and has officially abandoned the Dalkeith Redevelopment Concept Plan.
Council and the Administration have been working tirelessly alongside the PADD executive members and other residents who have been attending the regular Steering Committee and Council meetings to get the future blueprint right for Dalkeith. They should be applauded for their efforts because many many hours have been devoted to the issue and Council and Administration have shown a lot of patience and willingness to co-operate with PADD and the residents.
It has not been an easy road to the current position for anyone and the PADD executive committee intends to continue to work hard to nurture and further develop the spirit of co-operation and positive relations between the City and the Dalkeith residents which now exists in order to ultimately achieve the right outcome for Dalkeith.
Council, PADD and the residents need to now focus on what the nature and extent of the development should be of the lots defined as the Village (ie, all existing commercial lots on Waratah Ave). The intention is to allow changes that will help to create a more vitalised/vibrant Village atmosphere on the strip that the community is asking for.
This will be achieved by Council through the Steering Committee meetings being held at Council every second Thursday evening. The next such meeting will be held on Thursday, 15 May at 6pm at Council Chambers. I urge you to come along and have your say. Very important issues will be discussed and decided on at that meeting including the 'vision' for the commercial strip and the maximum heights that should be allowed for commercial development along Waratah Avenue.
You may be interested in our analysis of the Dalkeith residents' submissions to Council made in response to the Dalkeith Redevelopment Concept Plan of December 2007 - 73.5 % totally opposed the plan. A clear majority called for changes to be made to the commercial strip along Waratah Avenue to create more vibrancy but not allowing more than three storey development at a total height of 12m or thereabouts.
The owners of the parcel of land commencing at and including the service station and ending at the Dalkeith Hall (approx 4600sqm of land) on Waratah Avenue are collectively asking Council to allow them to demolish the existing buildings on that land and to develop a mixed use building (predominantly residential) at 4 storeys, 14m to 15m in height and comprising 30 or so units. Whilst we probably all welcome some changes on Waratah Ave, imagine the size and bulk of such a development and decide for yourselves if that is what you want for Waratah. Think about the extra traffic that will be created with the Western Suburbs having the largest car ownership and usage in the State. Think about the streetscape. Compare this proposal to what has been built at Steve's in Nedlands and what has been built in Subiaco. Is this what you want? Your submissions say not.
We look forward to seeing as many of you as possible on the 15th. If you can't make it that's ok because PADD members will be there to represent your interests and I will report further to you.
Thanks very much for your continuing support.
Warm regards,
Paola Lovi
Chairperson
PADD
3rd May 2008