The photo above shows the latest in a string of dismal quality developments approved in Fremantle.

Right next to the heritage of St Pats, next to the heritage of the Australia Hotel and in a sensitive area with Princess May Park adjacent, the overscaled and insensitive building pictured will forever reduce the heritage significance of this important part of Fremantle.

Fremantle Council's meddling with the Town Planning Scheme has led to this tragedy.

Already, across the road from this development at 8 Queen Victoria Street, the unsightly new six storey  apartment building there has just gone into receivership.

Quality sells,  but Fremantle Council is not giving us a quality environment.

It was the government's DAP (Development Assessment Panel) that approved the Foundry development pictured and it is the DAPS that are causing outrage in communities around the state. While  other councils are campaigning against DAPs, Fremantle Council is not.

For that reason we are holding a dinner and talk next week on Thursday 16 June at Maya Restauant to hear Julie Matheson, anti DAP campaigner and Subiaco councillor, discuss the issue. On 2 June we invited the mayor and councillors to this event because the Fremantle Society wants the Fremantle Council to promote a better planning regime, but not one councillor has accepted our invitation, The mayor is unavailable due to another function.

Members -  if you like these new boxes in Fremantle that's fine, but if you want quality development that looks to the future please help the Fremantle Society secure better results.

RSVP please for the dinner ($30 for two courses at Maya Restaurant), Thursday 20 June at 7pm sharp.

Please reply to: john.dowson@yahoo.com