The City of Perth has started consultation on a bid by Gina Rinehart to build a helipad, as part of a planned multi-million-dollar development of Hancock Prospecting’s West Perth business hub.
The City of Perth has started consultation on a bid by Gina Rinehart to build a helipad, as part of a planned multi-million-dollar development of Hancock Prospecting’s West Perth business hub.
Under a revised proposal, a helipad would be part of a $19.5 million redevelopment at 53 Ord Street, where a five-storey commercial office building has previously been approved and is being built by PACT Construction.
The redevelopment will assist in the consolidation of the miner’s workforce in the one location, after a rebrand last month which brought the Roy Hill and Atlas Iron divisions under one banner – Hancock Iron Ore.
The redeveloped building will Hancock Iron Ore’s corporate headquarters.
Hancock would also like it to include a helipad, according to submissions commissioned through Element Advisory, with the building located close to three major hospitals in the suburbs west of Perth.
The helipad requires separate City of Perth approval.
A planning report noted that if approved, the helipad would be used once a month.
“The helipad is proposed atop an approved five-storey office building currently under construction and represents a minor modification to the approved built form, with the primary consideration being the operational use of the helipad,” Hancock’s submission said.
“The helipad will be used for a maximum of 12 times per year, limited to daylight hours (7am to 7pm), and will accommodate the Bell 429 aircraft.”
The base range Bell 429 twin-engine helicopter costs around $US7.5 million, and the report suggests that the helipad would be used to “enable occasional corporate transport” to the facility.
The submitted proposal also featured a floor plan for the facility, with a "cat room" and "meow terrace" among the notable leftfield inclusions.
A Hancock spokesperson confirmed the application had been made, but did not comment further.
“We have made an application in accordance with the requirements, which is under assessment, and it is therefore not appropriate for us to make any comment,” they said.
A separate, $250 million 10-storey development on Outram Street is currently before planning authorities, and proposed to be Hancock’s business hub.
Mineral Resources managing director Chris Ellison famously commuted to a site near the miner’s Herdsman offices by helicopter over the course of 2023 and 2024.
