60 Minutes’ Liam Bartlett wins battle over his neighbours having clear glass on Nedlands WA flats

Star 60 minutes reporter Liam Bartlett has convinced council his neighbours’ balconies shouldn’t be enclosed by clear glass so that he doesn’t have to look at their laundry and pushbikes.

Nedlands Council in Perth voted seven to four on Tuesday in favour of maintaining frosted glass on the balcony balustrades of four homes opposite the TV star’s property, The West Australian reported.

One of the owners living opposite Mr Bartlett, Geoff Nathan, said he and the owners of the three other homes would appeal the matter to the State Administrative Tribunal (SAT), believing they had a ‘strong case’.

The removal of the condition, first imposed in May 2021, was supported by Nedlands Council for all the homes on the site.

The apartment owners had sought to compromise with the 60 Minutes reporter and 6PR host by saying they would agree to frosted glass on the upper level of their properties if they could maintain clear glass on the lower panels. 

But Mr Bartlett, who had previously told the council he didn’t want to have to look at his neighbour’s washing or bikes on their balconies, objected to the inclusion of clear glass. 

Mr Bartlett was already objected to the development when he told an earlier council meeting he had lost parking spaces and it had brought ‘more bins and less amenity’ to the area in which he lived.

PerthNow reported Mr Bartlett’s house was elevated behind his wall and had four windows which overlooked the new developments.

‘I don’t know about you, but I’m not fond of looking out onto people’s balconies and their bikes and their washing or whatever else they want to stick up on their balcony or what they’re doing behind their balconies,’ he said.

Owners of five terrace homes being built in the suburb of Nedlands in the inner-west of Perth, WA are fighting to have a condition to have frosted glass on their balcony removed and instead have clear glass balcony windows

Mr Bartlett said the recommendation to allow clear glass was ‘beyond the pale’.

He also took a jab at the media reports of the story, claiming he had been portrayed as a cross between ‘Genghis Khan and Thurston Howell III’ from Gilligan’s Island.

‘It does have an impact on our house, on our windows, on our garden on our backyard, full stop,’ he told council. 

Mr Nathan wrote to the Mayor Fiona Argyle saying it was clear their homes would have limited natural light if they could not have transparent glass and that the decision in favour of Mr Bartlett could set a bad precedent.

Nedlands Council in Perth voted seven to four on Tuesday in favour of maintaining frosted glass on the balcony balustrades of four homes opposite the TV star’s property 

‘Does that mean those councillors will vote against anything if people say there’s overlooking from a glass balcony?’ he said.

He also argued the frosted glass used on the balustrades was not ‘a good look’ for the apartments.

It’s estimated further proceedings at the SAT could cost the council between $30,000 and $50,000.

Liam Bartlett: ‘I don’t know about you, but I’m not fond of looking out onto people’s balconies and their bikes and their washing or whatever else they want to stick up on their balcony or what they’re doing behind their balconies’