Suburbs resist higher density
People in Perth's inner suburbs could do more to help halt the city's growing urban sprawl instead of harking back to the days of detached homes on quarter acre blocks, according to the boss of WA's land development agency.
Landcorp chief executive Frank Marra said people in Perth's fringe suburbs were living in far higher densities than those in traditional inner suburbs.
Experts warn if it continues at its current rate, Perth's urban sprawl, which is one of the biggest in the world, will stretch 270km from Myalup to Lancelin by 2050.
Mr Marra said apartment living was far more palatable in Perth today but some communities, particularly Perth's middle ring suburbs, were still resisting the shift to higher density living.
"Landcorp understands West Australians have really enjoyed the lifestyle that people have had, of single residential homes on individual blocks," he said. "But if you were go to some of the fringe suburbs of Perth at the moment, the densities being achieved are far, far higher than the densities of the middle ring of the traditional suburbs of Perth."
Mr Marra pointed to Landcorp's Alkimos Beach development which has an average lot size of 340 to 350sqm, with three homes on a traditional quarter acre block.
Mr Marra said Landcorp was providing the capacity for high-density living in Perth's inner suburbs and urban fringe.
"I think developers are willing to do that but local communities can have a lack of knowledge in that area and they can sometimes struggle to see the future vision," he said. "They hark back to maybe what happened in the 1960s and 1970s and say we don't want that."
Mr Marra said trying to compel people to live in smaller dwellings or in infill locations was not the answer.
He added that the "internationalisation of Perth" was probably making higher-density living more viable because "you're actually finding people who are saying that's normal".
Susan Schofield and her husband Adam have rented their two-bedroom apartment in Claisebrook Cove for eight years after moving to Perth from overseas.
"When we came here, we were specifically looking for an apartment. We found it quite hard eight years ago. The market was quite tight and there were not as many apartments as there are now," Ms Schofield, who is originally from Zimbabwe, said.
"It's just nice and small but still big enough to have a party but small to keep clean. I think I'm very lucky to have the opportunity to live and work so close to the city."
Ms Schofield, who is senior business development manager for Youth Focus, said Perth had more of an apartment culture now but the city could benefit from more community gardens and open spaces.
