newsletters

4/2/2008

Nedlands Council
Stirling Highway
Nedlands WA 6009

Dear Sir/Madam

Re: Dalkeith Redevelopment Plan

We wish to make our opinions and feelings regarding the Dalkeith Redevelopment Plan known to the Council. Having closely studied the Plan in its present form we have come to the conclusion that it is seriously flawed in many respects, highly inappropriate for this suburb and an example of “progressive planning” gone mad.

As the suburb of Dalkeith has a fairly stable population, we fail to see the need for the proposed level of increased retail, commercial and other venues and facilities which are clearly one of the main thrusts of these proposals. If the intention is to attract and/or service clients and customers from outside the “peninsular” of Dalkeith it is our opinion that the residents of Dalkeith should be consulted as to whether this is something they desire or support. In addition such an aim would appear to be extremely short-sighted as it would inevitably result in a greatly increased traffic flow along the few arterial roads into the peninsular, along with a greatly increased pressure on parking spaces.

In the event of the proposed permitting of hotel and tavern development, we believe this would attract a night-time clientele from outside our suburb as well as from within, and inevitably mean that residents would be affected by the various forms of antisocial behaviour witnessed in the vicinity of places like Steves and the OBH/ Cottesloe hotel. There are numerous hotel/tavern establishments within easy reach in nearby suburbs. We have long believed that Dalkeith could support more eating establishments like Café Valdarno, which enable residents to walk out to dinner, meet friends and enjoy wine with their meals without having to drive to other suburbs. We believe that this form of development is much more appropriate for Dalkeith than tavern or hotel development.

In our view there are ample larger retail precincts within close reach of the residents of Dalkeith, notably Broadway/Hampden Rd, Subiaco and Claremont, as well as the length of Stirling Highway. We do not need to create a large retail and commercial centre in Waratah Ave. The existing retail precinct could certainly be upgraded and extended, perhaps with development on the south side of the road, but 5 storey buildings would in effect destroy the “village” atmosphere of the strip in Waratah from Adelma Rd to Roberts Rd. We support PADD’s proposal to allow “mixed use redevelopment of ground floor commercial/retail lots with residences above” and a limit of 3 storeys in this area. We would like to see the emphasis on uses to meet the family and recreational needs of local residents, such as child care, para-medical services, gym, clubs(seems a great pity that we have lost our bridge club premises) and pet care and grooming for example.

In our view mandatory underground parking is not “user friendly” for the significant numbers of elderly residents for whom the Dalkeith retail precinct is the first, and for some, only port of call for shopping, obtaining fuel and other vehicle services, going to the dentist, Doctor, hairdresser, pharmacy etc. Ample above ground parking in suitably easily accessed, larger designated bays should always be available for such residents.

The proposed development plan will inevitably ultimately result in the eradication of all trees of any significant size from the entire area bounded by Circe Circle, Philip Rd, Robert Rd and Adelma. This from a council, which only a few years ago attempted to prevent landowners from removing even one tree from their own properties! Any proposed development plan which significantly impacts on the “green nature” of Dalkeith is something we most definitely will not support.

The plan to allow wholesale multiple housing development, especially of the order stipulated in the proposal, in Circe Circle opposite Dalkeith Primary School is totally unacceptable in our view. It is hard to imagine a less appropriate site for such redevelopment when one considers the traffic implications as well as other child safety issues.

If blocks are rezoned any upward re-rating should not apply to existing property owners, but only when the block is on-sold or redeveloped. It would seem to be unjust that owners be forced to sell because of increased rating of their land.

We also object to the setbacks or lack of them permitted under the proposed redevelopment plan. It is obvious that a home owner in a rezoned area who chooses not to redevelop would be seriously adversely affected by redevelopment adjacent to them, losing outlook, amenity, sunlight and breezes because of buildings abutting the property line (potentially three storeys high) and sitting several metres closer to the front boundary than their own dwelling. All in all the densities permitted in the plan are unacceptable in our view.

We support PADD’s alternative community development plan and ask that Council undertake extensive consultation with local residents before any redevelopment plan is finalised.

Yours sincerely

Rob and Derry Houston
Riley Rd, Dalkeith