Home in WA - Planning for Perth’s population growth
In episode 22 of Home in WA, host Jon Williams sits down with architect Sandy Anghie, Editor of The Architect WA magazine, to discuss how town planners can manage population growth and urban sprawl in Perth.
Watch Home in WA every weekend on Channel 7, where we take you on tours of some of the most gorgeous properties WA has to offer, and provide property market insights you can use.
Interview with Sandy Anghie, Editor of The Architect WA Magazine
There's no doubt that Perth is one of the best places in Australia to live. The lifestyle we enjoy here is hard to match even on a global scale. But one of the things we struggle with is how we manage our population growth.
You see, one of the major issues town planners face is the challenge of urban sprawl. It is characterized by a spread of low-density residential housing in the new greenfield subdivisions to our north, south and east. To talk about the current state of affairs, host Jon Williams caught up with architect, counsellor and Editor of The Architect WA magazine, Sandy Anghie
Jon Williams: Sandy, how is Perth doing in navigating its population increase?
Sandy Anghie: I think against the background of the state government’s Perth and Peel Plan, which is for 3.5 million people by 2050, we're seeing the recent releases by the state government of more land on the fringes. But obviously, that needs to be balanced with more urban infill and to provide choice for people, not just location, but also typology. So everything from standalone houses, medium-density, to terrace-type developments, and of course apartments.
Jon Williams: Given the scale of public opposition, is a vibrant high-density inner city still a viable outcome for Perth?
Sandy Anghie: Absolutely. In terms of Perth CBD itself, the current Council and Lord Mayor were really focused on increasing inner-city living and that's great news for the residents living in the city: more vibrancy in the city itself. With the Perth metro - the broader metro area - we have seen nimbyism in the past, but I think that's largely attributed to poor development. With the draft medium-density code, which aims to improve design quality and sustainability, hopefully we can see changes in the future.
There is no doubt that as Perth evolves, we will all need to reframe our thinking around the future of the great density debate. To speak to a property expert in your area, head over to the agency.com.au