I live in Highgate where residents are, supposedly, packed in like sardines.
Highgate was this week revealed to have the highest density in WA, which no doubt has NIMBYs shaking their heads in disdain.
With this prevailing mindset, there is little wonder why the Property Council of Australia has launched a Yimby campaign, to promote a Yes In My Backyard approach by talking about the benefits of density.
The PCA research shows Perth is losing the infill battle, with only 29 per cent rate of infill in 2021 and 31 per cent in 2022, and well below the official target rate of 47 per cent.
It means the boundary of Perth is roaming like a shoeless, clumsy oaf, spreading its fat footprint further afield.
There are many benefits to density, some of which I noticed while walking from my home to the popular Mary St bakery Wednesday morning.
I not only passed several cafes but counted more pedestrians than cars on the residential streets.
The sense of liveliness and vibrancy is palpable in walkable neighbourhoods, which are most likely found in the most densely populated areas, because these are the places where it makes financial sense to operate a business.
The walkability also means that the traffic is much quieter than most people would expect.
These areas also benefit from several hospitals within a few kilometres — a fact I came to fully appreciate during a recent trip to the emergency department.
It reminded me of friend who once lived in Ellenbrook, who was the envy of many for her enormous home and garden.
But after a late night trip to the children’s hospital’s emergency department — which took a nerve-wrecking 40 minutes — she promptly listed her home and moved to Bayswater.
There are plenty of recreational activities in densely populated areas too. Highgate locals can stroll to the State Theatre, Perth Oval, two outdoor tennis court facilities, the art gallery, a cinema and the river, among other places.
Density is usually located near employment centres, which means there is a good chance you don’t have to spend hours in traffic to get to work every day.
Instead, you get the priceless gift of extra free time.
From Highgate, you can walk, scoot or get a bus to a city office, or enjoy free parking in the neighbourhood parking zone close to the CBD.
There is also the added security of passive surveillance in densely populated areas. Despite stereotypes about inner-city life, I feel incredibly safe among the many other walkers at Hyde Park in the evenings.
It is worth remembering that what we consider to be density is still deemed to be fairly underpopulated by east coast standards. A PCA report out this week said Highgate was less than half as dense as the comparable city of Glebe in inner Sydney.
By Sydney standards we are still considered a little country town.