PerthNorg

Developers can build low rise and still make a profit.
The only people who want high rise on the beach are those who can make mega bucks from our beachfront. I wonder at the dodgy deals that developers are hatching with local and state governments.

You just need to look at the Gold Coast to see how highrises ruin a good beachfront!

Most of you wouldn’t have a clue. If cities like the GoldCoast, Miami and Waikiki, just some examples, are ruined by high-rise why o why do thousands upon thousands travel there?

The argument tourists are attracted to “our unique coastline” is abouslute rubbish. You can almost count on one hand the amount of people who travel to Perth to see our beaches!

It’s all about the boring, stuck up rich locals wanting the coastline all to them selves! and going by Barnett’s comments, just proves my point.

Having said that, I’m not saying we should develop our coastline like the Goldcoast etc, far from it. But how about at least one coastal area, where we can achieve that “coastal beach vibe” for which those cities above are so famous for. We have such a vast coast line.The way you lot go on, one would think our coastline is fully developed and it’s time to stop the rot, if you want to call it that.

I have 2 free hoildays to give away, one is to Adelaide, the other to the Goldcoast. Which would you choose?..Yeeah.

Well said Peter. Listen to the majority of people who have made their wishes abundantly clear as to whether they want more than 4 storeys on our coastline - 65% say NO!

Rocky writes;

“Most of you wouldn’t have a clue….The argument tourists are attracted to “our unique coastline” is­ abouslute rubbish. You can almost count on one hand the amount of people­ who travel to Perth to see our beaches! ”

Not true, Rocky! Here’s an alternative viewpont to yours: ref; The West September 19 2005

“Perth was voted “favourite overseas city” in a major travel survey published in Britain this week, Tourism Minister Mark McGowan told Parliament yesterday.

Mr. McGowan said the survey which was published in the Guardian and Observer Newspapers over a three week period and received almost 27,000 responses, destroyed the myth that Perth was Dullsville. “Perth beat Sydney to the post and was also ahead of Hong Kong, New York, Rome, Vienna and Melbourne” he said.

“Perth is uncommercial, unspoilt and unhurried - characteristics that visitors are increasingly looking for in a time when life has become so hectic.”

The value of maintaining the natural environment on our city beaches was also underscored by the Labor Party when Gallop campaigned with the following statement as part of the Labor election platform;

“Labor’s 5 storey cap on beachfront developments will prevent Gold Coast style developments on WA’s coastline. Our new plan will ensure we protect our coastal environment for future generations to enjoy.”

My concern is that the Labor Planning Minister has forgotten that she campaigned and was elected, along with Gallop, on the promise that “in government, we listen to the people”, because, despite your claim to superior knowledge, Rocky, I have before me the results of every community consultation process and survey conducted by councils, WAPC, and the Department of Planning and infrastructure on coastal planning policy over the past 6 years and the results range consistently from 67% opposition to coastal development above 4 storeys, through to 72% (51% expressing concern and 21% saying they were VERY concerned) about multi-storey development on our beaches. These detailed studies were conducted across the whole of Perth’s population, so your comment about opposition only coming from the “boring, stick-up rich locals” is nothing but a fantasy of your own.

Remember that State Coastal Planning Policy deals with development within 300m of the high tide mark. That’s the sand dunes and coastal foreshore they want to build 8-12 storeys on!

I’d suggest you actually do a bit of research into ‘real’ coastal planning policy so that you start, at least to get an aquaintance of the relevant issues of social and environmentally sustainable town planning and coastal managment.

I do agree ‘it’s time to stop the rot’ - right now, before it goes any further!

As for your holidays - have you seen what they did to Glenelg Beach in SA with rows of 8 storey appartments on the beachfront! No way! Don’t want to go to the Goldcoast either, for the obvious reasons - the ones that you appear to share!
If I have to go to a beach for a holiday, can’t do better than WA, but if it has to be a city, what about Melbourne - apart from some older pre-existing established multistorey developments or reclaimed industrial or dockland closer to city centre, there’s no way anyone is allowed any more than 2 storeys on the beachfront right around the bay. And that is NOT about to change! Why do you think that is, Rocky? “Boring, stick-up rich locals” or common sense?