A GRAND plan to demolish the old Law Chambers building east of the Hay Street Mall and replace it with a public square has been given more time.
The Law Chambers building is partly owned by the Perth Diocesan Trust and the Public Trustee’s office and, for the plan to go ahead, the PDT needs to take full control of the land.
However, it will also want compensation. The Law Chambers building is worth between $12 million and $14 million.
Lord Mayor Peter Nattrass wants to offer Perth City Council-owned West Perth land to the PDT as compensation.
The land is next door to PDT-owned land that has been earmarked for development.
Dr Nattrass also wants to give the PDT bonuses to make the development more commercially viable.
At its August 8 meeting, council voted to turn the land into a car park but told PCC CEO Garry Hunt to not progress the plan for three months to give the PDT time to put together a credible application.
Dr Nattrass said the arrangement could be the catalyst for the Cathedral Square plan, which began nine years ago.
“We should have progressed past turning land into bituminised car parks,” he said.
“How can we stop people in West Perth bulldozing their houses and turning the land to car parks if we allow this?”
Councillor Laurance Goodman, who is also chairman of the PCC’s Business Opportunities and Savings Committee, said the committee was aware the land might have some greater value in the long-term.
“However, we may be able to earn money on it in the short-term,” Mr Goodman said.
“We’re in the business of parking and there is a need for parking in West Perth.”
Mr Goodman said, to compensate the PDT properly, council would need to offer it an income of up to $1.5 million a year.
“That sort of money is not going to come from a patch of dirt in Colin Street,” he said.
Mr Goodman said knocking down the Law Chambers building could have a devastating effect on nearby small businesses.
“What will bring people to the eastern end of the city?” he asked.
“Knocking down buildings without doing anything to maintain activity there will be disastrous.”
