A West Perth arts precinct, dubbed by locals as the 'Pickle District', is expected to be demolished after an assessment panel approved a five-storey Bunnings to be built on the site.
A West Perth arts precinct, dubbed by locals as the 'Pickle District', is expected to be demolished after an assessment panel approved a five-storey Bunnings to be built on the site.
The Metro Inner-North Joint Development Assessment Panel (JDAP) approved Saracen Properties' $25.5 million application in a meeting, that ran for nearly three hours today.
Planning Solutions, on behalf of Saracen Properties, lodged the application for a five-storey development on a 8,771 square metre site bounded by Newcastle Street, Old Aberdeen Place, and Cleaver Street.
The area has been promoted as an emerging arts hub and has been referred to as the 'Pickle District' by the businesses within, including Linton & Kay Galleries, Holmes a Court gallery, contemporary art studio Voxlab, the Backlot cinema, and Old Habits neighbourhood bar.
The proposed development comprises of seven commercial tenancies, a Bunnings store, child care premises, fast food outlet, bulky goods showroom, a small bar, and a rooftop event space.
According to the responsible authority report, existing buildings on the subject site would be demolished to make way for the development.
Image: Meyer Shircore Architects
City of Vincent mayor Emma Cole presented against the proposal, despite the city's own planning officers recommending the JDAP approve the application.
"This has been an application that has attracted a hgh level of public interest and passion," she said.
"It’s not an attractive arts hub with a significantly sized Bunnings. Having a large size Bunnings in (this) precinct ... that is not creative or authentic and it is domineering."
After 29 days of public advertising, the city received 330 submissions with 309 responses in objection to the proposed development due to the building's scale, potential increase in traffic congestion and a wipeout of existing creative businesses in the district.
Saracen Properties developments executive director Jason Potalivo said the developer team has had ongoing discussions with the Pickle District tenants in the past 12 months.
"Creating space for art uses, there’s not a commercial return. We looked at that and we still provided the space," he said.
"We spent 2-3 years assessing sites within the area before making the decision to contract it out."
Render of the proposed development in West Perth. Image: Meyer Shircore Architects
The Pickle District Town Team chairman and Voxlab founding director Jon Denaro said approving the proposal would wipe out nearly two decades of progress to establish an arts precinct in West Perth.
"We know development is coming, we’re friendly with the idea… but we don’t want to remove what’s going on and recreate it in 15 years' time," he said.
"You’re going to knock that down and at the heart of it, you’re going to put a Bunnings. 15 years wiped out ... trying to restart that, good luck to you.
"I’m emotional, we’re all emotional. This has come out of left field, with the planning framework – it’s outdated.
"This has been a brutal process."
Community members who attended the JDAP meeting today audibly shouted over panel members in the lead up to the approval.
Updated framework for Pickle District
JDAP members agreed the development was consistent with the city's current local planning framework for the site while noting the concerns from the arts hub community.
Ms Cole said the city was developing an updated planning framework for the district, with a draft document to be out for community consultation later this month.
She suggested the panel members visit the site and allow for an updated planning framework to be completed.
"The planning framework is not up to date with where the community is in this space. That presents a significant challenge for the city," the city's strategy and development executive director John Corbellini said.
Panel member and city deputy mayor Susan Gontaszenewski proposed the application be deferred but her motion failed to gather majority support from the JDAP.
JDAP specialist member John Syme said the proposed development was consistent with the current built form in the area.
"The forecast planning framework as it emerges over time is for substantial increased development and at the same time, there’s an objective to maintain some sort of flavour which is developing around the Pickle District," he said.
"This development does not get in the way, I think it actually assist it."
JDAP presiding member Francesca Lefante said setting the timeframe for the updated framework was beyond the jurisdiction of the panel and responsibility rests with the city.
