Resident survey sketches city life

A public swimming pool and more supermarkets are high on the wish list of the City of Perth community, as revealed this month in the first survey of residents undertaken by Perth council and the Property Council of Australia WA.

Of 800 respondents to the survey, a third believed the city could benefit from a swimming pool and more local supermarkets, while 19 per cent said adult education facilities in the city were lacking, and 14 per cent wanted more cafes.

Property Council of Australia WA senior policy adviser Lino Iacomella said the city was becoming an attractive residential address for a wide  range of age groups.

The largest concentration of those surveyed were in the 26-35 year age group, representing 26 per cent of respondents.

“We’re not surprised the residents want more amenity, as it was only really five years ago that the area stepped up in terms of appeal,” Mr Iacomella told WA Business News.

He said the lack of shopping centres in the city had become a concern, increasingly so due to the ongoing residential development activity in West Perth and East Perth.

Latest Census figures show that, between 2001 and 2006, there were 2,110 new private dwellings added to supply in the City of Perth area, taking the number to 9,000 dwellings in December 2006. 

The Property Council estimates the inner-city residential population will continue to grow. More than 4,000 new apartments are due for completion by the end of 2010.

Colliers International director of research David Cresp said the inner-city area had come a long way in offering more amenities to residents.

The city currently has a Woolworths in the Murray Street mall, an Eziway supermarket on Hay Street, and a small independent supermarket in the East Perth cove area.

“It was not that long ago where you would have had to drive to the suburbs to get a litre of milk. The increasing population is seeing the establishment of more amenity such as delis, cafes and supermarkets,” Mr Cresp said.

“Over the next three years, the population in the inner-city area will increase by around 60 per cent. This will see the population get to a size capable of supporting far more retail premises.”

Supermarkets under construction include a 2,500sq m Woolworths at 100 St Georges Terrace below the Century City office development and a Coles Supermarket below the Tyne Square apartments, on the corner of Newcastle and Beaufort streets.

Mr Cresp said there was also potential for a supermarket at Raine Square and at 140 William Street above the train station, while the East Perth Redevelopment Authority was planning a supermarket for the chemistry laboratory site at East Perth Riverside.