EAST Fremantle council has broken its design guidelines with the “hodgepodge” construction of new footpaths in and around Petra Street, claims a local resident.

Charmaine Ziegler says that when bulldozers rumbled up in October to replace many of the street’s concrete footpaths with asphalt, many residents weren’t happy about the lack of consultation, and what they say is poor workmanship.

Ms Ziegler wrote to council asking it to halt work because it was breaching its own guidelines, but says a response from the town’s CEO was “belated” and did nothing to address the issues she’d raised.

She says the use of bitumen is not environmentally appropriate and doesn’t match the rest of the streetscape, with the city’s guidelines stating replacement paths should be “like for like”.

• Extra-long asphalt driveways breach East Freo’s policies, says Charmaine Ziegler

The guidelines also state driveways should be no longer than five metres in width and always make way for footpaths, two more points Ms Ziegler claims the council has ignored.

Council operations manager Steve Gallaugher says it was their intention to change all concrete slab footpaths to asphalt over time, after they were deemed “no longer appropriate” due to their uneven surfaces.

He says the bitumen was a continuation from nearby streets and that Petra Street, being a border between East Fremantle and Melville, may have some difference in materials.

Mr Gallaugher says many of Ms Ziegler’s concerns over workmanship were raised during construction, and “any defects will be addressed as part of the final inspection process”.

East Fremantle deputy mayor Michael McPhail says “there’s probably more clarity that needs to come from council around what materials, and how construction for the town is done”.

by EMILEE NEESON