The Town of Cottesloe says it’s disappointed with the state government’s streamlined development assessment process, after it was left in the dark over revised apartment plans for Marine Parade.
The third iteration of plans for an apartment development at 120 Marine Parade surfaced last week, following a recommendation from the State Development Assessment Unit (SDAU) to approve the proposal.
The Gary Dempsey Developments project has been sent back to the drawing board several times since the developer lodged an application in December 2020 via the SDAU: a planning body established mid last year as a means to streamline developments considered significant, and help stimulate economic activity.
Eligible SDAU projects are judged via construction cost and job creation potential. GDD’s project meets the $20 million minimum threshold to be considered by the SDAU, with an estimated build cost of about $22.8 million, and an anticipated 44 full-time-equivalent direct and indirect jobs created during construction.
GDD initially submitted a proposal for a nine-storey, 16-apartment building, before amending plans based off SDAU recommendations, reducing the bulk and scale of the development to 14 apartments spread across eight levels.
The Town of Cottesloe lodged objections to the first two sets of plans earlier this year, largely citing concern over the proposed height, noting that the initial concept exceeded local planning limits by 12.5 metres.
A comparison between the first and second concepts for 120 Marine Parade. Source: WAPC meeting agenda.
After reconfiguring the development for a third time, GDD emerged with plans for a seven-storey, 12-apartment building; about 10 metres shorter than the first iteration but still exceeding the 21-metre height limit, now standing at 24.9 metres at its tallest point.
The SDAU has subsequently recommended those plans for approval when the Western Australian Planning Commission meets this Thursday.
Under the SDAU process, although local governments are included in the consultation process, ultimately the WAPC holds all of the decision-making power and is not bound by any planning or non-planning law (other than environmental considerations) when determining SDAU applications.
However, the WAPC must still consider public submissions and be satisfied that the proposed development would be consistent with orderly and proper planning.
While the Town of Cottesloe was involved in the consultation of GDD’s first two concepts, it said it had been kept in the dark over the latest iteration and was not given the opportunity to see the revised plans prior to the SDAU’s recommendation. Nor was council invited to provide comment.
“It’s extremely disappointing that the SDAU has made its recommendation without allowing for council or community feedback on the revised plans [for] a seven storey development on a site where a five storey maximum applies,” Deputy Mayor Lorraine Young told Business News.
“We are perplexed as to why the town and our community were not given the opportunity to provide comment on the plans, as we did for the previous two proposals, and feel it is necessary to raise the inequity of the process, given that both the Heritage Council of Western Australia and State Design Review Panel were given the opportunity, prior to the SDAU making its recommendation.”
The WAPC meeting agenda stated that the Heritage Council of Western Australia had no objection to the new plans, and said the quality of the design now responded well to the setting of Cottesloe Beach.
The State Design Review Panel has also changed its previous position of objection to the project, and said it recognised the functionality, generosity and build quality of the proposed development and “commended the elegant, sculptural quality of the design”.
“Seeing the amended plans for the first time this late in the process, the town has effectively been given less than five working days to prepare a submission for the WAPC meeting on Thursday,” Ms Young said.
“We are now considering what further action we can take on this matter.”
The Town of Cottesloe highlighted how the amended seven-storey proposal was still higher than permitted under the Town’s Local Planning Scheme and that the council’s position on the development remained the same: that beachfront development must comply with the Town of Cottesloe Local Planning Scheme so as to preserve the coastal village character of Cottesloe, and protect one of the state’s premier tourist attractions.
Council said its planning staff and mayor would be pressing that point firmly at the WAPC meeting this Thursday, along with other issues it said it had with the design, based on advice from its internal town planners.
Within the WAPC meeting agenda, the SDAU planning officer listed several reasons why it supported the building’s latest proposed height.
That includes measuring building height at certain levels of the project: on level seven, the building height at the front facade is 21.2 metres (0.2 metres above the recommended height under the local planning guidelines).
Although the penthouse apartment on level seven reaches 23.7 metres to the top of the roof, the SDAU planning officer justified its height as permissable pointing to how it was set back approximately two to four metres behind the front façade of the building and approximately two metres from the side boundary walls.
An excerpt from the WAPC meeting agenda that breaks down the building height of the latest concept. Source: WAPC meeting agenda.
By confirguring the building this way, the SDAU planning officer said this minimised the visual impact of the upper floor when viewed from Marine Parade and Cottesloe Beach.
The SDAU planning officer also stated that it considered the proposal now responded to the desired scale and character of the area.
The WAPC will determine the project at a meeting open to the public this Thursday, which can be attended in person or via ZOOM.
The Town of Cottesloe said it was encouraging the community to find out more and register attendance at the meeting.
Business News contacted the SDAU for comment.
A Department of Planning, Lands and Heritage spokesperson told Business News as the final plans featured a further reduction in buidling height and addressed concerns raised in relation to overshadowing and impact on views, a third round of consultation was not undertaken.
"All feedback from both rounds of consultation provided by the Town of Cottesloe, and by local residents and stakeholders, has been provided to the WAPC for consideration in making their determination," the spokesperson said.
"Further, an opportunity to view the plans was provided in publishing the final WAPC meeting agenda.
"The Town of Cottesloe are scheduled to make a deputation to the WAPC at the meeting on Thursday.
"It is not uncommon for proponents to make changes to plans in response to consultation and feedback.
"All decision makers reserve the right to undertake further consultation on revised plans should those plans be substantially different to the original concept proposed, particularly in some cases on a case by case basis in relation to specific concerns raised by stakeholders."
The SDAU has received more than 70 proposals since it was established mid last year: all 11 development applications that have progressed to the determination stage have been approved.
You can read more about the history of the project and the new plans here.
