Beaufort Street 50-dwelling social housing plans in Inglewood approved by WAPC

A highly contentious social housing proposal set for Beaufort Street in Inglewood has been approved by the WA Planning Commission, despite local opposition including from the City of Stirling.

Inglewood residents at this morning’s WAPC Statutory Planning Committee meeting argued the planned multi-storey building at the corner of Wood Street should be specifically an over 55s development, not social housing.

They also decried a lack of street level commercial opportunity afforded by the plan to demolish an existing building and replace it with a four-storey complex of 50 units.

Spinnaker Developments managing director Lucas Berry said the development was not designed with appropriate amenities for an open market bank valuation that would be required for construction finance if assuming an over 55’s market. He cited that conditions relating to this make it “challenging” to obtain construction finance.

The panel also noted the Department of Communities’ commitment to the site housing seniors, but stopped short of making that a ‘forever’ requirement because it would deny future flexibility for its future use.

The building will have just 26 car bays, but the WAPC accepted a parking shortfall due to public transport accessibility and an assumption that reliance on cars will decrease in the future.

City of Stirling representatives said a separate development application for the demolition of the existing building, which falls within the City’s Heritage Protection Area, is required and has not yet been submitted.

Additional concerns raised by the City included lack of dwelling mix, communal open space, private outdoor living areas, waste services, parking, land use and the active frontage to Beaufort street.

Prior to the approval, Housing for the Aged Action Group CEO Fiona York wrote a letter in support of the development but only if it was for over 55s, while acknowledging concerns the complex would not be suitable for aged-care.

“City of Stirling have noted that the commitment that the development is for older people is not reflected in the project plans, and they hold concerns that the development may not be dedicated to older people,” she said.

“Allocating a minimum proportion of public and community home to people over 55 years of age recognises the limited earning capacity of older people, and their need for housing security to enable them to age in place, with the health and wellbeing benefits this brings.”

Opposition from local residents to the project stemmed from a recent surge of anti-social behaviour linked to a social housing complex just off Beaufort Street on Ninth Avenue.

A resident-led online petition to uphold a city recommendation that the proposed housing be restricted to residents over 55 years old has 1278 signatures as of Wednesday morning.

“Inglewood is safe, family oriented and wonderful community to live in,” one resident said.

“Poorly planned and executed State Government policies and actions are destroying the fabric of the area with little accountability and as such protections are required to ensure the debacle of Ninth Avenue is not repeated.”

Another added: “a sensible arrangement that includes mutual respect by social housing tenants and the Inglewood community should be the outcome.”

The petition said the “vague terms” used by the State Government in its announcement were not legally enforceable.

At the City of Stirling council meeting in April, mayor Mark Irwin said the city understood the need for social housing and supported proposals that were well-planned and set up to succeed.

“However, this proposal for a complex of 50 social housing units on Beaufort Street is set up to fail,” he said at the time.

The four-storey building proposal also includes communal areas, landscaping and driveway access from Wood Street.