Community to have their say on Scarborough High School Site

5/6/01
Residents living near the former Scarborough Senior High School will be given an opportunity to have a role in planning for the site, Planning and Infrastructure Minister Alannah MacTiernan said today.
"Residents will be asked to come up with solutions that best reflect what the local community want," Ms MacTiernan said.
"The Government will honour its promise to give the community a say on the future use of this site."
The Minister said State Cabinet had decided to substantially reduce the financial return expected from the site. This would allow more area to be set aside as public open space or for funds to be spent on community facilities.
"Currently the land is valued at $14.3 million with 30 per cent public open space," she said.
"The Government has decided to accept $10.5 million as the return to the Ministry of Education. Money derived from the sale of land will be designated for education capital works priorities.
"This decision was made with the interests of the whole community of Western Australia in mind.
"In an ideal world we would not have to put the financial constraint in place but we also need to spend money upgrading our schools."
The consultation process will start with a community forum to be held in the local area on Saturday June 16.
People who want to attend the forum will need to register their interest.
"The community forum will have widespread representation including people who live in the catchment area of the school site, and whose names have been randomly selected, as well as residents who request to be involved," Ms MacTiernan said.
"The aim of the community forum is to develop options for the site, examine their advantages and disadvantages and select a small group of options to be developed further.
"A reference group will further develop the options selected by the forum."
The Minister said a survey would then be sent to all residents in the catchment area asking them to choose their preferred option.
Additionally, people not living in that area, who believed they would be utilising the site in the future, would be able to register a vote at the City of Stirling offices.
The preferred option would then be submitted to the WA Planning Commission.
"The consultation process will be a new experience for the people of Stirling whose views on the high school site were largely ignored by the previous government," Ms MacTiernan said.
Media contact: Kaye Hopkins 9213 6400
Additional information:
People wishing to register interest to participate in the Community Forum can do so by phoning 9482 7431, by fax to 9226 2335 or by e-mail to community.forum@landcorp.com.au
Registrations must be received by June 11.