MANIFESTOS SHOULD BE COMPREHENSIVE AND VISIONARY

Below my-slightly altered- Roel’s Round column in the Fremantle Herald this week:

I was disappointed with the Manifesto the Fremantle Society published in the Fremantle Herald last week. I thought it was very light on and lacked innovative suggestions for the future of Fremantle. A manifesto should be comprehensive and visionary. It is not good enough to say you don’t want taller buildings in the West End, on Victoria Quay, and the old town, whatever the latter means, and that “The location of taller new development should go elsewhere in Fremantle” But where? Why not specify it? That’s what a big picture manifesto should be doing.

Fremantle Council approved Planning Scheme Amendment 49 about ten years ago, targeting 13 CBD sites for substantial development. Which locations in Fremantle are suitable to taller buildings of 6-12 storeys, according to the Society? Where can we create the necessary urban infill to build many more homes, and make serious inroads into the current housing and rental crisis? Where are the boundaries of the “old town” does it stop at Parry Street, or Point Street, or even further east at James Street?

I absolutely agree that high-rise in the West End is not on, and would also not like to see that on Victoria Quay, but the Fremantle Society is on record of opposing in the past two six-storey bookmark buildings at either side of Victoria Quay, so they do not approve of medium-rise at the port either.

The Fremantle Society opposed the Little Lane eight-storey medium-rise apartment building next to Target, and also expressed opposition to the eight-storey medium-rise residential plans by Sirona Urban for the Point Street carpark site. The Society should be clear what they mean when they say they oppose taller buildings, when they also are against medium-rise in the inner city. What does the Society believe is acceptable building height for our inner city?

There is little doubt in my mind that Hesperia will want to add a few storeys when they develop the Elders woolstores opposite Clancy’s. The renders of the current Coles woolstores development, by Silverleaf Investments, also indicate they might want to construct a building, or buildings, higher than ten storeys behind the current development, so Fremantle will have to get used to taller buildings in the inner city.

I do agree with the Manifesto that the WA Government should create a Fremantle Redevelopment Authority, because the huge port precinct development, when the working port moves to Kwinana, is so significant for our city that is demands cohesive, excellent and long-term planning, where housing diversity should be a priority. The redevelopment authority (EPRA) worked very well in East Perth, where they created well designed buildings and streetscape and a real community lifestyle.

No one wants to see only tall concrete boxes. For example the large Point Street residential development would for me ideally have a beautiful streetscape off 2-4 storey townhouses along Adelaide Street, and maybe duplicate that along Cantonment Street. The eight-storey apartment building could rise up behind the terrace houses. Ground level retail is not necessarily good, as shops close at 5pm and create dark streets.

What I was hoping to get from the Manifesto is ideas, instead of only saying what the Fremantle Society opposes. For example, the Manifesto states that housing is not good for the Fremantle Oval development, and I wonder why that is. Why not, and what does the Fremantle Society suggests should be developed there? We desperately need more people living in the inner city.

I would love to see Fremantle Oval become a real community space, a place where people can gather, even when there are no music or sports events on. A kind of parkland, with some medium-rise apartment buildings of up to 6-7 storeys, a modern gym, a nice cafe/bar, and a 24/7 activation. Could Fremantle Oval diversify and also cater for other sports, such as athletics, by creating a running track around the oval, where there was a cycling track in the past?

Substantial development in the Fremantle CBD is not only inevitable, it is desirable, and we need to lose that fear of taller buildings. What we have to demand is excellence, innovation, and creativity in architecture. We need new iconic buildings, that will become the heritage of the future. Our city needs to grow to prosper.

Roel Loopers