Building heights on the city's outskirts to be discussed at meeting

Councillor Tim Walker will put forward a motion at Thursday's meeting in a bid to address "ongoing community concern and increased developer uncertainty" around buildings that exceed the planning scheme.

The motion asks council officers to conduct a desktop survey to identify areas that could be initially considered for the creation of special area precincts to accommodate designs exceeding restrictions.

It calls for amenity and heritage values to be considered, and for council staff to report their findings within three months.

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Earlier this year, the council approved its building heights report. The report recommended a height limit for the immediate central business district.

However, Cr Walker is suggesting areas just outside of the CBD for this project.

"Where Kmart is, for example, and the light industrial area down there - that might be an appropriate location, away from the city but still close to the city, away from residential buildings," he said.

"Whether it's two hectares or whatever, we say here you can build up to 30 stories or whatever it might be."

Cr Walker said a number of European cities had preserved their historic centres by allowing taller buildings on the city's outskirts.

He said it was about looking for a positive way for the council to take "some leading role" to make the city as liveable as possible and recognising the city's values at the same time.

Cr Walker said he probably would not have put this motion forward if the council had passed the building heights report's maximum recommendation of 24 metres.

"I don't think anyone's against tall building per se, but it's about appropriateness. It's about the council taking a little bit of a leading hand rather than sitting back being the passive recipient of development applications, and then having to deal with the fallout."

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Cr Walker said developers needed to be considered just as much as the community in planning matters.

"Unfortunately we've been in a position where developers have secured a parcel of land, and then they've sought to rezone the land or build something that maybe the community doesn't think is appropriate," he said.

"If I bought a block of land and wanted to build a workshop on it and the council said no, it's not the right zoning for that. I doubt very much if they're going to change the zoning to suit my purposes."

Cr Walker said if developers had the certainty, they would come. The council meeting will start at 1pm at the Town Hall.

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