Perth streetscape impact realised

Concern over the loss of parking spots outside shops in the main street of Perth, the inability for trucks to pull up in front of the Perth Roadhouse and a perceived lack of community consultation has bubbled to the surface eight years after the Perth Streetscape Redevelopment project was announced.

Now in the midst of construction, local residents and business owners are realising the impact of the work which will include the upgrading of footpaths, installation of more street furniture, landscaping and interpretation signage, and upgrading of pedestrian crossings to improve accessibility and safety on the busy road.

While many people are happy to see the revitalisation of the main street to make it more attractive and user-friendly for locals and visitors alike, questions have been raised on social media as to the amount of money being spent when other town infrastructure could be improved, such as footpaths and riverbank access and facilities.

The Perth Progress Association has instigated a petition calling for trees to be removed from the plan and parking spots reinstated.

It has attracted hundreds of signatures.

Northern Midlands Council has reacted with visits today to local businesses, the distribution of a media release explaining the project and its timeline and at Monday night’s council meeting a determination to communicate better with residents of Campbell Town who are about to go through the same process and are also worried about loss of parking.

Northern Midlands Mayor Mary Knowles said that the Perth Streetscape Redevelopment “significantly enhances Perth's infrastructure and overall appeal, ensuring it remains a vibrant and safe community for residents and visitors”. 

“We acknowledge and understand the community's concerns about the loss of parking spaces. However, the Council is confident that these improvements to Perth’s main street will enhance safety, accessibility, and usability for everyone, including pedestrians, cyclists and community members with diverse accessibility needs,” she said. 

Nine parking spaces will be lost from Perth’s main street to implement the improvements. 

The original concept design proposed removing 20 spaces, however, it was revised more than a year ago following community consultation and feedback. 

The council has also removed 21 trees from the design, due to concerns from TasWater, and has reduced the width of the pedestrian crossings to reduce the impact on parking in the area. 

Phil Groves from the Perth Sausage Shop said like most, he’s not opposed to beautifying the street, but the importance of being able to get a park near the shops, when there is no dedicated off-street parking areas, has been lost on planners.

“And you’ve got to wonder how government departments manage to come up with a plan without consulting TasWater about drains when it comes to planting trees or in the case of the pedestrian crossing outside my shop, the fact that it’s going right where TasNetworks is about to put a new power pole!”

“It’s like no thought goes into it at all.”

Mr Groves will lose four car parking spaces right outside his shop to make way for the crossing point and expects it will have an impact on his business.

The Perth Streetscape Redevelopment project was first identified in the Council’s Perth Structure Plan, released in March 2017. 

Two rounds of community consultation were undertaken in 2016 during the development of the Structure Plan, with community feedback suggesting that streetscaping in the Perth township was needed. 

Further consultation on this project took place in 2021, with an additional opportunity for the community to raise concerns and provide feedback available during the Development Application process in 2023.

 In 2022-23, the Council successfully applied for grant funding to construct the project under the Australian Government’s Priority Community Infrastructure Program. 

Funding was granted in early 2024, with construction of the Perth Streetscape Redevelopment project starting in July 2024. 

“These works are part of a series of strategic projects being implemented by the Northern Midlands Council. Streetscaping in Perth was prioritised due to the town's growing population, which increased by 35 per cent between 2011 and 2021,” Mayor Knowles said.