newsletters

Mindy Green
74 Minora Road
Dalkeith, WA, 6009

30 January 2008

Mr Graham Foster
Chief Executive Officer
City of Nedlands
71 Stirling Hwy
Nedlands, WA, 6009

Dear Sir,

I am writing to you about the draft plan for the proposed redevelopment of Dalkeith., (Dalkeith Redevelopment (Precinct no 18) Concept Plan – December 2007).

I approached the material sent to me by the council in late December regarding the concept plan with an open mind, believing that there is room for improvement in Dalkeith, particularly in the existing commercial area on Waratah Avenue.

What I discovered on closer scrutiny of the material was that the plan was not so much an attempt for improvement, as it was a blueprint for the complete destruction of existing infrastructure and the implementation of planning decisions that would utterly change the nature of Waratah Avenue, the surrounding streets, and the suburb of Dalkeith.

I have tried unsuccessfully to see where 5 story commercial/residential buildings exist in older Perth suburbs in a bid to look objectively at the impact on a neighborhood and have so far been unsuccessful in finding any. If you would be good enough to send me in the direction of an area where these types of changes have been successfully integrated into an existing neighborhood, I would be grateful. I suspect, however, that you would be unable to do so because no such area exists.

The level of density being proposed for unit developments on Circe Circle (with provision for maximum 70 square meter apartments in some areas) appear to my eyes to be the council & government attempting an exercise in social engineering.

Like many others in the community I can only look with suspicion on the timing in which the plan was presented to the general community, and the short period allocated for public comment. Why was this not something that was raised during the council elections only a few weeks earlier? Prospective councilors could have made their positions on the plans clear, and voters could have chosen their representatives accordingly.

The scope and scale of this proposed development is completely out of character with the nature of the existing suburb of Dalkeith.

This letter represents my strong objection to the Dalkeith Redevelopment Plan.

I also object to the short period allowed for written feedback to the council and believe that the timing should be extended to at least the end of February 2008.

Yours Sincerely,

Mindy Green