WA:Higher density Perth needed: WA govt

AAP General News (Australia)
08-30-2010
WA:Higher density Perth needed: WA govt

PERTH, Aug 30 AAP - The sprawling city of Perth must tighten up and plan for higher
density living and greater public transport use, Western Australia's planning minister
says.

Launching a strategy for the city's growth to 2031, John Day said a big boost in infill
housing (whereby additional units were added to an already approved subdivision or neighbourhood)
was needed to help accommodate the 550,000 extra residents expected in that time.

Mr Day launched Directions 2031 and Beyond at a Planning Institute of Australia business
lunch on Monday.

The 20-year strategy set a target of 47 per cent for infill development, with the other
53 per cent coming from greenfields developments (whereby new land is allocated for projects),
he said.

The infill target was well above the 30 to 35 per cent achieved over the past decade
or so, Mr Day told reporters.

"We cannot continue simply to focus on more urban sprawl," the minister said.

"That has high costs in providing infrastructure, high social costs, high transport costs.

"So, we do need to become a more compact city than we have been in the past."

Mr Day said some people would still want larger blocks and that should be provided
for, but a greater choice of apartments was needed in well-located areas.

The WA government wasn't looking at 20-storey blocks, more at five- to six-storey structures
along major public transport routes or highways, he said.

The aim was smaller homes on average and greater use of public transport while ensuring
Perth remained one of the most livable cities in the world.

"We also need to get areas of employment, industrial land developments and other commercial
developments, so that people can, hopefully, live not too far from where they are working,"

Mr Day said.

Under the plan, housing growth targets would be set for each local government in the
Perth and Peel regions.

Following recent law changes the state government was in a stronger position to enforce
planning requirements such as housing density targets on local government, Mr Day said.

"It is possible for the state, through the planning commission and the minister for
planning, to be able to require certain things to be done, more so than in the past,"

he said.

AAP ldj/mp/cdh

KEYWORD: CITY

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