The City of Perth has released a new inner-city residential design policy it hopes will reduce the number of noise complaints from residents, improve privacy and security, and limit development impact on heritage areas.
The City of Perth has released a new inner-city residential design policy it hopes will reduce the number of noise complaints from residents, improve privacy and security, and limit development impact on heritage areas.
City of Perth Lord Mayor Peter Nattrass said in a statement that areas previously not favoured for residential accommodation because of proximity to commercial activity had become more popular with the growing trend towards inner-city living.
The policy applies to residential development in the city with the exception of the residential area of Crawley, the East Perth Redevelopment Area, and areas covered under the Goderich Street, Mount Street and Terrace Road design policies.
The city’s new policy includes the recommendation that each development be designed with front doors and lobby entrances facing the street within clear view of adjacent dwellings. In addition, private open space of 10 square metres must be provided for each dwelling, and developments would be required to have a northern orientation and provide living areas with north-facing windows.
The policy also says at least one habitable room must overlook public space and windows of sleeping and other sensitive areas must be located away from external noise sources.
To keep track of noise levels, the city will require a developer to submit an acoustic report with its development application, as well as upon completion, to verify the development will achieve noise standards.
The inner-city population rose by 13 per cent last year and with that came 129 individual noise complaints to the city, 50 of which were for amplified music, 39 for construction noise and the rest incidental complaints.
Property Council of WA senior policy adviser, Lino Iacomella, told WA Business News the new policy was a reasonable response to the challenges of developing and residing in non-residential areas such as the city centre.
“Hopefully the policy will provide the public with greater confidence to live in suitably developed residences in traditionally non-residential areas like the CBD,” Mr Iacomella said.
Master Builders Association director of economics and housing, Gavan Forster, said the council was at risk of going overboard and the more requirements it expected of builders, the more costs would be passed on to home owners.
The city has also taken the chance to strengthen its position on heritage issues by providing guidelines for additional building heights, which must “respect the cultural heritage significance of the building, or the significance of the heritage area if it is located within one,” the policy states.
Building heights must be integrated with an existing building in a manner satisfactory to the city and have no impact on adjoining properties or the streetscape.
The new standards come in the wake of growing council concern for the cultural and heritage value of the Treasury Building, for which it is powerless to stop the state government from adapting into a mix-use, office and retail precinct.
