newsletters

30 January 2008

Mr Graham Foster
The Chief Executive Officer
Nedlands City Council
(by email council@nedlands.wa.gov.au, dalkeith@nedlands.wa.gov.au)

Dear Mr Foster

I write to you to strongly voice my opposition to the proposed Dalkeith Redevelopment Plan.

The concept, if implemented, would destroy the integrity of Dalkeith's village as we have come to know and value it.

Our family came to live in Dalkeith in large part because of the current local village atmosphere and sense of community. Your proposal would effectively destroy that which attracted us to Dalkeith.

Four and five storey developments would be too imposing. We have already had this imposed on us at Steve's and every day as we walk along the foreshore I am reminded of the disservice foisted on the people of local area by the imposing height and lack of setback from the sidewalks in that development. Certainly there is room for two and possibly three storey sensitive development along Waratah Avenue but anything beyond that height would be inappropriate.

It would be nice if Council acted in the interests of the local population and not the developers and commercial interests that stand to make a handsome profit and walk away. We live with the result and any proposed redevelopment must show a clear and strong case as to how it will enhance the quality of life of the local residents and sustain that improved quality of like. On the available information the proposed Dalkeith Redevelopment Plan fails the test.

The manner in which this concept has proceeded is very questionable. Neither my wife nor I have received any information directly from the Nedlands City Council in respect to the proposed redevelopment. Further, it seems background issues are only now being flushed out due to some dedicated probing by residents. Certainly your office is opaque, to say the least.

Accessing information regarding the proposed redevelopment has not been easy. You provide a document of 56 pages on your website. However, your web site falls over constantly and many hours have been spent trying to access detail of the proposed redevelopment. The entire process around this proposed redevelopment has an odorous air about it. Transparency and integrity must be beyond question and that does not appear to be the case thus far in the Dalkeith Redevelopment Plan.

Yours sincerely

Canon Dr Stephen Davis
+61 409 557 151
stephen.davis@nexus-g.com