74 Mill Point Rd, South Perth

Journalist background: The Southern Gazette has spoken to members of the Save the South Perth Peninsula group after last Saturday's meeting, which was attended by Mayor Doherty and councillors from the City of South Perth.

Please attribute the following comments to City of South Perth Mayor Sue Doherty

Where is the proposal for a 29-storey development at 74 Mill Point Road currently at? 
The development application was considered at the Joint Metro Development Assessment Panel (DAP) meeting on 16 March 2015.  The DAP called for some additional information and an independent assessment of the proposal.  The City is currently working on providing this information and the DAP will meet again on 11 May 2015 to consider the matter.

Residents say this is poor planning on the part of the City and the erection of a tower in a heritage listed area, which will destroy the water table, trees and views, among other concerns by residents. How is the City addressing resident's concerns in relation to maintaining what the residents describe as the "natural beauty of the area"? 
The development of 74 Mill Point Road, South Perth does not come about as a result of poor planning. Residents had the opportunity to be involved and contribute to the amendment to the Town Planning Scheme, creating the South Perth Station Precinct (Town Planning Scheme Amendment No. 25) throughout the entire plan process. There has been a significant amount of community consultation.

The area is not heritage listed.  The peninsula and this part of Mill Point Road is already developed with many apartment buildings that have been constructed over the past 10 to 15 years.  Trees on private property are not protected, however the City protects street trees. If this development were to be built to the same height as those currently surrounding, it would have the same impact on views. The “natural beauty” of the river environment is important and will be maintained.

Residents are also very concerned about the Old Mill and Old Mill Cottage - what is council doing about those buildings?

Council has adopted a Concept Plan for the redevelopment of the Old Mill precinct and continues to pursue development options. Upgrading of Millers Pool is likely to occur in the short term as an initial stage of the development. 

Residents are also concerned about what they describe as "the lack of long-term planning for development of the peninsula and the greater South Perth area, particularly when it comes to high rise buildings greater than eight stories”. What has the City done to alleviate these concerns?

There has been considerable long term planning by the City, with the current set of provisions guiding development in the precinct the result of some seven years of investigation and statutory processes with extensive community involvement. 

Using funding provided by the State Government under a Network City Communities Program grant, a town planning study known as the South Perth Station Precinct Study was implemented in 2005.  Stage 1 was a wide ranging community engagement study to determine broad attitudes and preferences on a range of matters, including appropriate development mix and housing forms; pedestrian and vehicular linkages; and public transport. Stage 1 commenced in late 2005 and was completed in April 2007.  

Based on the findings of the Stage 1 study, Stage 2 was undertaken by the City in conjunction with the Western Australian Planning Commission (WAPC) and the WA Department of Planning with a view to increasing employment and residential density within the precinct.  This study, and the subsequent Town Planning Scheme Amendment No. 25 have established the South Perth peninsula as a ‘District Centre’ in the Central Metropolitan Perth Sub-region, giving effect to a proposal in the WAPC’s Directions 2031 final report, released by Minister John Day in August 2010.  The South Perth Station Precinct Study was completed in January 2011 and the related Town Planning Scheme Amendment No. 25 was subsequently approved two years later. 

In accordance with clause 9.8 of TPS6, prior to initiation of Scheme Amendment No. 25, preliminary consultation was undertaken. Among other advertising methods, 930 letters were mailed to affected landowners and others, inviting comments between 4 and 30 March 2011. 

The ‘second-round’ advertising period ran from 17 January to 9 March 2012.

On 22 May 2012, Council considered the officer’s report on submissions and recommended to the Minister that the Scheme Amendment be approved with modifications.  

On 8 January 2013, the Minister granted final approval to Scheme Amendment No. 25 with the recommended modifications. The Amendment became operative on 18 January 2013 when published in the Government Gazette.  

Resident Terry Hogan says residents are angry about the fact there was "a lack of consultation with residents and only a notice sent to the strata, when other councils put a notice on the building, but the City of South Perth failed to do so." Can you explain how the city went about its notification process for 74 Mill Point Road?

The City notified residents of this development in accordance with Council policy at the time, which has since changed to widen the area of consultation.  63 consultation letters were sent, to landowners, residents and strata bodies within proximity to the site.  64 submissions were received by the closing date, indicating that many residents were aware of the proposal. 

The council is being presented with 300 signatures tonight, what is the plan of addressing resident's concerns from here?

In response to a petition received from electors of the City of South Perth, a Special Electors’ Meeting will be held at 6.00pm Wednesday 6 May 2015, to discuss ‘development issues concerning the Mill Point Peninsula’.