THE VALUE OF GREEN OPEN SPACE

Those of us who have been lucky enough to visit Central Park, in the middle of New York City, will agree that it is the green vibrant source of energy and peace that the city life revolves around.

In      recently, Michael Messner wrote an article titled Olmsted's ideals could help solve our real estate mess .  He was referring to the decision 150 years ago by New York City to accept a proposal from the great American landscape architect, Frederick Law Olmsted, to create a beautiful park in the middle of Manhattan Island.  If you read the history this was a controversial proposal because Olmsted's proposal would cost $13 million to build the park, which was a massive amount of money at that time.

Olmsted's views prevailed and the city approved the construction of Central Park. As Messner writes:

"Olmsted went on to transform dozens more cities, leaving a priceless legacy of vibrant, beautiful cityscapes.  And, in the process he increased property values".

17 years after the creation of Central Park, Olmsted went back and tracked the value of land around the Park and found that the city's $13 million investment investment had led to an astonishing increase in the value of the land that bordered the park by $209 million.

Again, to quote the article:

"The architect (Olmsted) recognised what many planners still fail to grasp:  Parks and managed green open space are vital pieces of urban infrastructure that not only improve the quality of life for millions of people but also drive economic growth"


A lot of Mount Claremont people use the public open space around the Old Swanbourne Hospital for exercise, recreation and to enjoy the open vistas and views.  The original plan approved through the community consultation organised by the WA Government in 2004 and 2005 maximised the amount of managed green open space possible while still providing for full preservation of the beautiful heritage buildings and a mix of residential development that will provide good development profit to the private owner.

The best way to maximise the amount of green open space on the site  is to keep to the plan we all agreed and which the WA Government promised in 2006 that the new owner would have to abide by.  This is the plan incorporated into the City of Nedlands Town Planning Scheme No. 2 - which the WA Government now wants to suspend.  If the WA Government goes ahead with this proposal and grants full planning authority to the Western Australian Planning Commission, we will lose the capacity to have our local elected government hold the owner to the plan we agreed to, and under which the property was sold.

We want the development to proceed as soon as possible, but under the guidelines agreed to by the community and the WA Government.

Please write to the Heritage Council of WA by 18 February objecting to this proposal to transfer planning control to the Western Australian Planning Commission.

You need to send a signed letter to:

The Executive Director,
Office of Heritage,
PO Box 6201,
East Perth  WA  6892

Thanks for your energy and support.

David Thomas