State Govt $300m New Living program begins with demolition of Balga's Brine Place [Visual]

17/4/99
A sledgehammer wielded by Premier Richard Court today helped mark an important step forward in the implementation of the State Government's $300 million New Living program in Perth's northern suburbs.
Mr Court was joined by Housing Minister Dr Kim Hames and President of the Balga Action Group Kaye Cooke in smashing down the walls of one of Balga's oldest and most notorious apartment blocks.
The demolition of the Brine Place apartments on Camberwell Road is part of the biggest urban renewal project ever undertaken in Western Australia to reduce high density public housing estates and help create safer communities - complementing the Government's Safer WA strategy.
Brine Place was completed in 1970 and includes five blocks in Camberwell Road and Tolson Street, with 78 apartments in total.
The development has a long history of problems from poor plumbing to recurrent cockroach infestations and ongoing anti-social behaviour by some tenants and visitors.
Mr Court said the demolition was both a physical and symbolic milestone for the regeneration of the area under the New North New Living initiative.
He paid tribute to the commitment and dedication of the Balga Action Group in working to revitalise their local community and in providing valuable input into its future.
"The group has become a vanguard for positive change in the area and members were instrumental in pushing for, and supporting the current regeneration project," the Premier said.
Despite efforts to fix problems, recurring cockroach infestations and anti-social behaviour problems at the Brine Place apartments had worsened over the years.
"Graffiti, damage and other crime became a constant problem with the area being used as a dumping ground for old furniture and attracting the attention of police on a regular basis," he said.
Mr Court said that under the New North New Livingproject Balga, Girrawheen, Koondoola and Westminster would be regenerated.
"New Living brings together the Government, the community, the private sector and local government in an co-ordinated effort to regenerate older suburbs, reduce crime and make them a better, happier place to live," he said.
"At the start of the New Living project last year, Homeswest owned about 30 per cent of dwellings in the New North. The target is to reduce the public housing presence in the area to 12 per cent.
"The State Government recently announced the demolition of all three-storey Homeswest complexes in Balga and that amounts to nearly 300 apartments.
"The land will be sold by Homeswest for family homes."
The Premier said he hoped New North New Living would achieve the same success as experienced in the Lockridge and the New Kwinana New Living projects.
"These projects have resulted in renewed community pride, attractive living and importantly, lower crime rates," Mr Court said.
"Crime in Lockridge last year was down by 55 per cent on rates at the start of New Living in the area. Residents said they felt safer and formal surveys in both Lockridge and Kwinana showed that 93 per cent of people thought the changes represented a positive step forward."
Mr Court said New Living projects helped to create employment and boosted property values.
"Community consultation is a key component in the program's success to date and the community here can expect to be kept informed of progress throughout New North NewLiving," he said.
Media contact: Bronwyn Hillman 0417 991 923

The walls of one of Balga's oldest block of flats come tumbling down.