Residents oppose demolition

BY BARBARA WHELAN

PERTH — Residents of Burt Way, East Perth are outraged over Perth City Council's plan to demolish the housing in their street to make way for luxury high rise apartments.

Local resident Karen Kinsett told Green Left Weekly that residents were not notified of the proposed demolition. "The first we heard about it was when the details were published in a local newspaper just recently" she said.

"The council is required to notify the residents of the proposal to demolish. Instead, they left us in the dark until the decision had been made", Kinsett said.

The residents have been told that the demolition will go ahead within the next five years and they will be given 60 days notice before it occurs.

"The majority of the residents of Burt Way are low income earners who are forced to live in the area [close to the city] because of its proximity to schools and workplaces", Kinsett said. "But some live there because they need to be close to specialist medical attention."

It will be difficult for residents on low incomes to find other affordable accommodation close to the city.

Many residents have vowed to fight the decision. "We're not giving up", Kinsett exclaimed. "We'll fight this until the very end."

From GLW issue 435