WHAT'S BEEN HAPPENING SINCE THE SAT OUTCOME IN 2008?

As we know, the owner's appeal against the City of Nedlands planning decisions was rejected by the WA State Administrative Tribunal in late 2008.

I have been wondering what has been happening since then and the Christmas Eve announcement by the Heritage Council in 2010?

I then remembered a letter I had received from the City of Nedlands in late August 2010.  From talking to other Mount Claremont People I know that the letter was sent to a lot of other residents in Mount Claremont.

I pulled out the letter and it saw that it was advising residents that on 24 August 2010 a revised Outline Development Plan (ODP) submitted by the owner was approved to by the Council subject to conditions.  The Council intended to then submit the ODP to the Western Australian Planning Commission for their approval to advertise the draft plan.

I am not really sure what is in the revised ODP because it has not yet been advertised for public submissions.

The letter went on to say that if the Western Australian Planning Commission approved the ODP, it would be advertised in November 2010 for public comment and consultation.

Attached to the letter was a schedule of events that have occurred since the property was sold by the WA Government to the owner.  I have copied the most recent events above and you can access the full document from the link on the sidebar.

Can we  assume that because the ODP wasn't advertised, the Western Australian Planning Commission wasn't happy to approve the ODP?

Then, before just before Christmas this year, the Heritage Council of WA announced that the Minister for Heritage intended to suspend the City of Nedlands Town Planning Scheme No. 2 and transfer  total planning authority over the Old Swanbourne Hospital  to the Western Australian Planning Commission.

Is this a Plan A, Plan B strategy?

Plan A:  Under the Heritage Council of WA's Heritage of Western Australia Act 1990, The Minister transfers planning authority to the Western Australian Planning Commission and the owner agrees on a development strategy with the pubic servants working for the Commission.  No more need for time consuming and frustrating public consultation!  

Or the fallback:

Plan B:  The Western Australian Planning Commission approves the revised ODP, the Nedlands City Council advertises it for comment, and people of Mount Claremont have the opportunity for input.   Nedlands City Council remains the planning authority, under the watchful eye of the Planning Commission.

Though Plan B is more preferable than Plan A - I prefer neither.  However - it looks like that is the way this game is being snookered!

The best outcome is to develop the Old Swanbourne Hospital under the community agreed guidelines under which the property was sold by the WA Government to the owner and as contained in City of Nedlands Town Planning Scheme No. 2.

Please make a strong  submission opposing the proposed move to transfer the City of Nedlands planning powers to the Western Australian Planning Commission by writing to the Heritage Council of WA by the closing date for public submissions - 18th February,  2010.

Your submission must be in the form of a signed written letter, addressed to:

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



David Thomas