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News > News > Fencing minimises public risk, loss of vegetation
Fencing minimises public risk, loss of vegetation
12 Nov 2009
ADDITIONAL fencing at the South Fremantle landfill site from Cockburn Road to South Beach has a three-fold aim: to limit the public’s risk of exposure to potentially hazardous materials while minimising the loss of vegetation and maintaining access to public open spaces, paths and roadways.
City of Fremantle Manager Planning Projects Paul Garbett said the additional fencing to that already found on site, would meet Department of Environment and Conservation (DEC) requirements under the Contaminated Sites Act.
“The City is keenly aware of the high-level of use by Fremantle and Cockburn residents of the dual-use path across the site,” he said.
“Unfortunately, keeping the path open by fencing along both edges of the path would create an enclosed ‘alley’ some 400m long from the Cockburn Road end of the path to its connection to Daly Street, which, after consultation with WA Police and the City’s community safety officers, was considered an unacceptable solution on community safety grounds.”
Mr Garbett said last Thursday he, and the City’s Environmental Health and Building Services Coordinator Matthew Piggott started, a community consultation exercise via the South Fremantle Precinct Group (SFPG) to discuss an alternative approach of fencing across the dual-use path to secure the site’s entire perimeter.
“Not surprisingly, there was very strong community opposition to closure of the path, but also acknowledgement that keeping the path open and fencing along both sides of it is not an appropriate outcome either,” Mr Garbett said.
The City has invited the precinct to formalise its response and submit written comments by Friday, November 20.
“However, given the obvious strength of community feeling on the matter, the City is exploring the possibility of an alternative fencing arrangement that would completely fence-off the part of the site south of the dual use path, but leave the path open for its full length and create a publicly accessible ‘wedge’ of land adjacent to the north side of the path to avoid the enclosed ‘alleyway’ effect,” he said.
The City’s officers have developed an alternate proposal that seeks to maintain public access to the shared pedestrian/cycle path. The proposed location of the new fence is depicted on the attached plan titled “Proposed Perimeter Fencing – Option 2 – Path open to the public”.
The City will seek comment from the DEC’s Contaminated Sites branch before any final decision is made, and Mr Garbett said there was no intention of closing off the path in the immediate future.
“I expect a further report will need to be presented to Council after the end of the consultation period before a final decision is taken on what fencing arrangements should be implemented,” he said.
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