PLANNING — MARINE PARADE, COTTESLOE
648. Dr D.J. HONEY to the Minister for Planning:
I refer to the recent state
development assessment unit approval of the proposed development at 120 Marine
Parade and the proposed development announced for 122 Marine Parade in
Cottesloe that are two storeys higher than the permitted height for this location and are two of the four applications
that do not comply with the government-approved local planning scheme on
the beachfront.
(1) Is the minister concerned that
local councils —
Several members interjected.
The SPEAKER: Order, please!
A government member interjected.
Dr D.J. HONEY: It is for
Cottesloe.
Is the minister concerned —
Several members interjected.
The SPEAKER: I would like to
hear the question in silence, please.
Dr D.J. HONEY: Thank you very much, Madam Speaker.
(1) Is the minister concerned that local councils and
their planning schemes are now being completely bypassed on major
planning decisions?
(2) Does the
minister have any intentions of preventing the Cottesloe foreshore from being
turned into a concrete wall that overshadows Perth's most iconic beach?
The SPEAKER:
The Minister for Planning —
Several members
interjected.
The SPEAKER: — and
just the Minister for Planning, please.
Ms R.
SAFFIOTI replied:
(1)–(2) I
think this question demonstrates why this Leader of the Liberal is at nine per
cent, because it shows how completely out of
touch he is with modern Western Australia with the idea that we would be
getting involved in these types of decision; that he wants me to
interfere in these types of decisions that are made through the special pathway
process that was supported by the Liberal Party. I will say this about schemes:
it is incumbent on councils to have schemes that are contemporary and reflect
modern planning policy. There is a requirement
to review every five years and update every 10 years. We continually see
councils that do not review and do not update their schemes when
required. In relation to this situation, does the member for Cottesloe really think that nothing should be
done at Marine Parade? Does he really think that the status quo is good
enough? Does he really think that people who live in apartments, which he has
said before, are bad people, because that is how he starts this discussion? He
starts this discussion with the view that people who live in apartments are bad
people. I believe that we need to continue to support density and high-quality
developments. We have a new pathway. We have a design review process that
ensures good quality. I know the member opposes these types of projects.
Dr D.J. Honey interjected.
The SPEAKER: Order, please!
Member for Cottesloe, you have interjected a number of times. If you would like
the opportunity of a supplementary, please let the minister conclude her
answer.
Ms R. SAFFIOTI: That the
member for Cottesloe opposes these types of development demonstrates why he is
at nine per cent. If we ask the Western Australian community, ''Do you
think that people should be able to live closer to the beach in high-quality
developments?'', they would probably say yes. The fact that the member
for Cottesloe opposes these types of developments—any developments with
density in nice areas—shows how out of touch he is with the modern
community.