Albany Community Environment Centre hosts forum discussing ways to sustainably plan for Albany’s growth

Capping the population at 50,000, improving public transport and addressing water shortages were among the ideas and concerns raised at a forum discussing how to manage Albany’s future growth. Hosted by the Albany Community Environment Centre at the town library on June 24, the forum, titled How do We Plan for Albany’s Growth: Perspectives on Degrowth and eco-friendly eco design, was well attended by passionate locals. Three expert speakers addressed the crowd on the issues they believe threaten the city’s future. Julie de Jong from H+H Architects spoke on how a Perth-centric viewpoint does not translate into regional areas, the planning barriers to medium density development and why Albany must shift away from a reliance on cars. Town planner Paul Kotsoglo outlined why Albany needs a regional planning scheme which extends beyond the urban area and includes compensation to landowners for land used for public purposes. ACEC co-convenor Michael Bayliss detailed why the proposed dual carriageway through Yakamia is a “symptom of a much wider problem” and the reasons the region should transition away from a culture of endless growth on a local and global scale. Mr Bayliss, who also hosts the Post-Growth Australia podcast, said it was important to address growth proactively to ensure it would not negatively impact the environment and social amenities. “As we enter the bicentennial, this milestone provides us with a timely opportunity to reflect on the pros and cons of Albany’s growth and what challenges we will need to manage if growth is to continue, he said. ”We need to be realistic about the challenges resulting from this growth spurt, including suburban sprawl, housing unaffordability, water insecurity and the endless degradation of our natural environment. “Albany’s intact natural environment is a fraction of what it was in 1826 and at this rate of growth there is every reason to anticipate this heading toward zero unless something drastic action is taken. “The threats to the Yakamia Forest are a symptom of a much larger problem.” He said the need to balance the acute housing crisis and the depleting natural environment was something developers needed to carefully consider in their designs — specifically those in charge of the upcoming North Albany District Structure Plan. “There are many difficult questions we need to tackle how as a community we manage a population of 50,000 without making current environmental predicaments even worse,” he said. “Ultimately, we need a conversation around where we want growth at all, for how long and whether we are prepared to make the changes to accommodate this growth without impacting further on our natural environment.”