The Bentley regeneration project structure plan was adopted in 2015 but not much has happened since.
City of Canning chief executive Arthur Kyron remembers visiting the Housing Authority owned Brownlie Towers in Bentley when he was working as a social worker and not much has changed since.
The towers are a part of the wider Bentley regeneration project, which has been driven by the Housing Authority who owns most of the land.
Apart from a structure plan adopted in April 2015, not much has happened in the suburb and Brownlie Towers, built in 1970, continue to fall into disrepair with water and power issues.
Mr Kyron said he is concerned there were opportunities going to waste.
“When I was a young social worker out in the field I remember visiting Brownlie Towers,” he said.
“I remember visiting the Housing Authority homes in the area and to come back into this council and still see Brownlie Towers there, albeit with a bit of rendering and lipstick, it’s not transformed.”
He said Bentley could become one of Perth’s best inner city suburbs.
When you think about it, 15km to the city, walking distance to Curtin University, close to Carousel shopping centre, but it’s an area that has just stagnated,” he said.
“I’m just concerned about the missed opportunities we have to make a difference to people’s lives.”
Mr Kyron was mum on whether Brownlie Towers should be demolished.
“I have my views about Brownlie Towers and all I ask is that perhaps we research other attempts around the world of rescoping or redesigning housing state developments and see how successful they’ve been,” he said.
“If they have been successful great, apply it, if they haven’t been successful, learn from it.”
Mr Kyron said the city was getting the ball rolling within Bentley by demolishing the old Canning Aquatic Centre on Baldock Street to make way for a housing development.
Member for Victoria Park Ben Wyatt said the state government had been sitting on their hands when it came to the Brownlie Towers and Bentley regeneration project.
“Ultimately the people of Bentley and St James and surrounding areas are frustrated that this huge area of land owned by the State Government largely sits there unused and with that comes the inevitable crime and antisocial issues,” he said.
He said if elected in March the Labor party would start regenerating Bentley immediately but he did not agree with demolishing Brownlie Towers.
“We will move on this immediately because this is one of the last significant assets within the inner city of such a size owned by the taxpayer,” he said.
“It’s a hugely valuable resource that should be developed to create a diversity of housing and importantly commercial opportunity for local people that shop and gain employment.”
Housing Minister Brendan Grylls was contacted for comment but did not respond before deadline.
