You are hereDemolition at Kew a travesty
Demolition at Kew a travesty
I am totally dismayed to learn that the community facilities and hydrotherapy pool at the former Kew Residential Services (Kew Cottages) site have been demolished even though the developer was required to retain the pool until a replacement was built. Sadly, perfectly good and much needed disability facilities have been lost to the community for private gain. It is very upsetting.
The state government had the chance to re-think the massive development it had planned for the site and stop further residential development at little cost to the public purse. The remainder of the site, including the purpose built facilities, could have been retained for urgently needed disability respite care, which could co-exist with the existing housing.
That it has chosen a different path is a terrible lost opportunity and puts the interests of developers before disability services. This site was set aside in the 19th century as public land to be used for disability services, which are in great demand now. The process by which a government decides that public land is ‘surplus' and allows its sale or commercial development must be made more transparent and actively involve local communities. Public land that is valued and wanted by the community should remain in public ownership and not be sold off at market rates by government departments, or handed over to developers.
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