Cheltenham anger spills over to St Clair

10/11/09 9:00 am

Greens MLC Mark Parnell has called on the Rann Government to start the process over the future of the Cheltenham Racecourse site all over again as the Government and local Council face fresh anger over their botched handling the future of St Clair park.

“The Rann Government has made a complete mess of Cheltenham, and community anger is now flowing over to St Clair park,” said Greens MLC and planning lawyer Mark Parnell.

“Residents aren’t stupid – they see decision after decision in favour of developers at the expense of community outcomes and they’ve had enough.

“They are sick and tired of token consultation only to discover the Government and local Council have already made up their minds, and what the community wants doesn’t matter a jot,” he said.

Debate over the future of St Clair is the latest in a series of stoushes over the future of the Cheltenham Racecourse, the old Actil factory site and St Clair park and oval.

“The Greens have said from day one that it is possible to achieve great water harvesting, huge open space and sensitive, targeted transit orientated development in this precinct.

“Two things are required, though. Firstly, the whole site must be treated as one complete parcel of land so that it can be master-planned.

“Secondly, there must be genuine community consultation so that the people of the Western Suburbs are given a real say and genuine ownership over the future of the last great area of open space in this part of our city.

“Instead, residents have been given piece-meal development and the loss of highly prized parkland. No wonder they are up in arms

“It’s not too late for the Government to go back to the drawing board and work with the community to create a better outcome,” he said.

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