a day ago
WA government takes control of land next to children's hospice to allow development of 'a beautiful park'
The WA government has moved to take control of land next to the new children's hospice in Swanbourne from the City of Nedlands, after the council opposed plans to turn it into a parkland for terminally-ill children.
The Perth Children's Hospital Foundation's plans to transform what it called a 'dust bowl' into a green oasis were blocked by the council, which owns Allen Park.
The Lands Minister John Carey has moved to excise 3,000 square metres of land at Allen Park from council control, pending a motion in state parliament in the middle of this month.
That would pave the way for the PCH Foundation's $4million plans to create a green space next to Boodja Mia, a $34 million respite and palliative care centre for children, due to be completed later this year.
The City of Nedlands Council opposed the proposed park development, saying it wanted to build its own park on the A-Class reserve.
A-Class classifications are used to protect areas of high conservation or high community value, but Mr Carey argued the council had not been maintaining the land in "any meaningful way".
"It is a dustbowl. The Nedlands council have done nothing with this land and then right at the last minute they've said they do have a plan," Mr Carey said.
"For the City of Nedlands to make some sort of claim that this land is of any significant or extraordinary value is simply false."
The project will include the planting of up to 10,000 native plants, boosting tree canopy at the site to 62 per cent.
Mr Carey said the park would be open to the public while also catering to patients and their families at the nearby hospice centre.
The City of Nedlands has been contacted for comment.
