The City of Armadale is facing a backlash from residents over densities in its local structure plan for the Clifton Street south precinct currently out for comment.
The plan was aimed at turning 6.66 hectares of urban development zoned land fronting the Canning river across lots 20 to 26 in Clifton Street into high density dwellings.
The plan would increase density of the area to a mixture residential R40, R60 and R80 and create public open space along the riverfront.
Nearby properties further up the Kelmscott hills were zoned R15/25. The plan estimated there would be about 386 new dwellings with a population of 770 people.
A letter was distributed to residents urging them to object to the plan with concerns over traffic increases, impact on the river and ruined amenity.
Kelmscott resident Matt Rule was worried it would change the style of the area.
“I’m worried on how they’re going to do it and how they’re going to minimise impact on the river and just the amenities that are around there and the standard of living,” he said.
“It’s got that semi country kind of setting and that’s the benefit of living there really.
“I don’t know why this has to become yet another high density area, if you start making everything too urban you lose the natural refuges in the city.”
Armadale mayor Henry Zelones said the land had been earmarked for developments like this for several years and the population increase would benefit the wider area and needed to be accommodated.
“It’s a request or a mandate by the state government that activity centre densities be increased,” he said.
“The Kelmscott town centre is constantly being criticised about what’s not there…there’s a lack of facilities in Kelmscott.
“That needs to be supported by a greater population base.
“It’s all in support of a greater capacity of the Kelmscott town centre to deliver more services and better services in terms of businesses.”
Mr Zelones said while the city was continuing to fight for improvements to Albany Highway he believed the roads around the development were not at capacity.
“In terms of traffic I guess the issue is the roads are designed to take a certain capacity and certainly none of those are anywhere near their capacity,” he said.
He said the development would also improve the underutilised Canning river foreshore.
“The river foreshore reserve, which hasn’t been yielded up, will be yielded up and what we’re going to have is a much more pleasant parkland on both of the sides of the river,” he said.
The plan was out for public comment until December 21.
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