Weeronga Retirement Village: Willagee park space given rezone green light for residential development

A former part of a Willagee park will be rezoned so it can be used for residential development. Alchera Living, which runs the Weeronga Retirement Village in Willagee, bought part of Winnacott Reserve on Worley Street in 2021 after being granted permission to use it for access in 2017. The land was amalgamated into the wider Alchera Living site. The City of Melville council has now given permission for it to be rezoned from public open space to residential. One of its conditions of approval is that Alchera Living be asked to develop a landscape master plan to improve the site’s appearance. City officers said the site had a poor appearance, with chain link fencing and no landscaping. Cr Karen Wheatland said she wanted to make sure the community received a good outcome. “In 2021, I was clear in my position that if any portion of public open space was to be disposed of, the interface with Winnacott Reserve needed to give back to the community,” she said. “That meant green outcomes. It meant meaningful landscaping, an improved public realm along the reserve edge. “I’m not revisiting that decision to dispose of the land at all. Not at all, because that decision’s been made. “(This request) simply ensures that the environmental and interface expectations discussed at the time are embedded before it’s completed.” Cr Glynis Barber said residents were upset at the removal of trees from the site and a landscape plan would be a good initiative. The rezoning proposal was not put out for public comment because it was considered a “basic” amendment.