Greens call for 1000 people to live at every train station on Fremantle line is the stuff of NIMBY nightmares

The Greens have struck fear into the heart of NIMBYs with calls for apartment density at every train station in the western suburbs, accommodating 1000 people each. Speaking at a Property Council event on Tuesday, Greens MP and leader Brad Pettitt said the State Government had long spruiked the potential for new Metronet stations to usher in a host of transit-oriented apartment developments to Perth. But he said the western suburbs were usually ignored in the conversation, even though the Fremantle train line operated in the only areas where developers want to build apartments. “When was the last time we talked about a transit-oriented development that weren’t in some far-flung Metronet station, where frankly, no one wants to build apartments?” Mr Pettitt said at the Property Council event. “Imagine the Fremantle train line, actually each of those train stations having a 1000 people living around each of those stations. “There is such an opportunity to get people in the right location but that is exactly what we are not doing, so it’s hard to not get frustrated.” Speaking at the event, shadow planning minister Steve Martin said developers told him there simply were not enough profits in Metronet areas to make apartment development worthwhile. “If you are going to build apartments you need to make a profit and that’s why they are not being built at Metronet stations at the moment,” he said. But South West MP Jackie Jarvis, also at the property event, defended the State Government, claiming it had led a crucial transition from a fragmented planning system to one that was more aligned, contemporary and strategic, helping to streamline the process. She said that in the past five years the Labor Government had cut red tape, expanded the significant development pathway, prioritised infrastructure and spent $5.8 billion in housing and homeless measures. Property Council WA executive director Nicola Brischetto said the “most sustainable places” to construct new apartments and townhouses were around existing transport hubs, including train stations. She said transport-oriented developments should be seen as a drawcard as they boosted a suburb’s amenity and connectivity. “Urban and infrastructure planning experts recognise that the optimal approach to facilitate population growth is to build housing, employment and services around public transport systems,” Ms Brischetto said. “The Property Council WA has consistently advocated for a clear vision, appropriate planning frameworks and targeted incentives to support the delivery of transport-oriented development in Perth.”