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Cambridge Claremont/Nedlands Cottesloe/Mosman subiaco
Every block to be triplex POSTNEWSPAPERS.COM. AU | 08 9381 3088
18 JULY 2026 | VOL .53 NO.29
An aerial view of Dalkeith shows the big blocks that could be subdivided and the trees that could disappear under Planning Minister John Carey’s plan to increase the R codes.
By JACK MADDERN A local town planner has spoken out to protest planning reform that could soon see triplexes built throughout the western suburbs.
Ross Minett is the Town of Mosman Park’s Director of Community Planning and Place. Saying that he was speaking in his capacity as a private citizen, he said that WA Planning Minister John Carey was emphatic that his push to rezone land across Perth as R30 would include blocks in western suburbs such as Dalkeith, City Beach and Floreat.
Mr Minett said the minister confirmed this when he asked him in person at a recent planning conference. “This has huge implications for Nedlands and Mosman Park for planning,” Mr Minett said this week. “Areas coded R12.5 like Saunders Street and others could see a massive increase in subdivisions if baseline approval needs to be R30. “It would make every property a triplex site. “It is within Mr Carey’s power to do this, so the councils would have no ability to have recourse.” The director of Nedlands
firm Hemsley Planning, Alex Hemsley, warned that an R30 rezoning would create a hodgepodge of developments and streetscapes. “Once you subdivide, you won’t get them back,” he said. “People always want to have their big blocks of land, especially in the western suburbs, which isn’t wrong. Others see that differently. “Wouldn’t you want to focus development around train stations and want people to be less reliant on vehicles too?” The planning code reform has also alarmed tree advocates who say it will see mature trees lost, further degrading our tree
A police car outside Wandana flats in Subiaco this week. ing and then the door flew open. “I could see a person lying on the floor, covered in blood. “It looked like he’d been dipped in a big bucket of blood, his clothes were unrecognisable. “It looked like he was dead but he moved a bit and four ambulance people started working on him. “It was horrific. I’m still having nightmares about it.
“I’ve never seen a dead person before. I suspect it was foul play because no-one could cause that much blood to themselves trying to commit suicide.” Several residents said the man kept to himself, not mixing with his neighbours or others. St John Ambulance confirmed sending five vehicles to Wandana at 10.26am on Monday. A man in his 60s was taken to Royal Perth Hospital just before noon. Another resident reported seeing a body being taken from the unit that evening. Police would say only that it was a mental health incident and that a report would be prepared for the coroner. The latest violent incident has left residents fearful following another incident in which an elderly resident was hospitalised for six weeks after being bashed and robbed in his flat. • Please turn to page 60
Bloodbath at flats
By LLOYD GORMAN
Terrified Wandana residents are worried for their safety after police swarmed the Subiaco flats to investigate a brutal death this week.
Residents claimed a man appeared to have been “dipped in a big bucket of blood” after an incident at the state housing complex early on Monday. Police kicked in the door of an eighth floor flat after dozens of uniformed, plains-clothes and forensic officers, and five ambulances, went to the scene. The circumstances of the death and the number of people involved remain unclear. “I was coming down to the lift and there was a loud sound of something being hit hard,” a resident said. “I never saw so many cops and ambos in the same place. “One of the cops was kicking in the door, he was kicking and kick-
canopy, and turning up the heat. Mr Carey said at the planning conference that his push to rezone all metropolitan suburbs with a baseline code of R30 was underway as part of his sweeping R-Codes reforms. All new local government schemes and strategies in the Perth metropolitan area should have a baseline zoning of R30, he said. The R-Code reforms would allow 700sq.m blocks to be subdivided with lower restraints around overshadowing and height. WA Tree Canopy Advocates chair Sarah Allchurch said development practices needed to include tree retention.
“We already know what happens when you carve up established backyards without protecting mature trees,” she said. “The big trees go, and our suburbs get hotter. “Unless we want to see Perth’s tree canopy plummet even further, the new R-Codes must mandate mature tree retention where possible and enough space to grow the next generation of canopy. “Perth needs more homes and more tree canop and our planning system should deliver both.” WA Greens MLC Brad Pettitt said it was possible to achieve • Please turn to page 60
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