Developers feel interest group pressure

Mayor Tony Vallelonga and the City of Stirling’s plan to redevelop the Scarborough foreshore has met intense opposition from local action group Save Our Sunsets, established by Karrinyup resident John Keall.

Mr Keall and fellow Karrinyup resident Mark Beaver have been among the most active opponents of high-rise development on the Scarborough foreshore, working tirelessly to canvass support from residents within and outside the City of Stirling.

Several participants at WA Business News’s coastal development forum said that, while community consultation had an important role to play, it was now becoming problematic for developers.

Australand State manager land, David Rowe, said well-organised pressure groups were a significant hurdle.

“Sometimes these groups may not even be totally representative of the whole community but they are well organised and they can get their message across and they can work the system,” he said.

Multiplex development manager Charlie Robertson said action groups used mediums such as local newspapers to garner public support.

“I think that the amount of pressure that these small interest groups can put in play by letter writing campaigns to the local paper gets a disproportionate coverage in terms of the issues,” Mr Robertson said. 

“Those sorts of things have the ability to sway the views of the elected representatives that is not necessarily representative of where the community is at.”

Town of Cottesloe Mayor Rob Rowell said it was often only those against development who wrote to the council or voiced their opinion, whereas those indifferent to or supportive of the development were less vocal.

However, Save our Sunsets spokesman Mark Beaver said it was clear the community did not want high rise at Scarborough, citing recent surveys as an indicator.

He said surveys by the City of Stirling, one by Save our Sunsets, and the recent Department of Planing and Infrastructure survey showed the majority of people were against the 16-storey proposal.

Mr Beaver disagreed with claims that people who support developments are less vocal than those in opposition.

“I really think we represent the silent majority,” he said.

Figures from the City of Stirling show that 3,346 submissions for the Scarborough foreshore proposal were received.

There were 1,050 written submissions – 750 supporting the plans, 49 supporting in part, 189 opposing and 62 opposing in part. A further 2,164 people signed proforma responses opposing the plans.

Of these, 1,880 opposed the development in part or altogether. There are about 180,000 residents in the City of Stirling.

Mr Beaver acknowledged that fighting development proposals required good organisation and often involved discussions with other anti-high rise lobby groups such as Keep Cott Low.

“We exchange information,” he said.

SOS chairman John Keall said the group was concerned with coastal development “completely” even though Scarborough development was the catalyst to the group’s formation. 

He said communicating with other coastal anti high-rise groups presented a united front to government.

Mr Beaver said while councils need to be more accountable for their decisions, coastal development should be part of a State strategy.

“What we need is a planning policy for the whole metropolitan coast,” he told WA Business News

Mr Keall said there was nothing presently wrong with Scarborough and if no development took place because of a backlash to high-rise development he would be satisfied with the result.