The City of Nedlands will be requesting a two-month extension to plan its next move over the fallen Tawarri deal, which has been described by the Lands Minister as risky “flip-flopping”.
The City of Nedlands will be requesting a two-month extension to plan its next move over the fallen Tawarri deal, which has been described by the Lands Minister as risky “flip-flopping”.
Nedlands councillors had a confidential discussion about restarting negotiations with the state government at its special council meeting on Tuesday.
The Tawarri site on 120 Esplanade, also known as Dalkeith Hot Pool, was a class-A reserve vested to the city for care and control, and is earmarked for a $25 million redevelopment of the derelict Tawarri Function Centre.
Despite its own planning staff recommending support, the council voted to not enter a headlease with the state government over the Tawarri site at its meeting in March.
“Council … requests the CEO to commence investigation of alternative options for the Tawarri site; with the primary objective being that the class-A reserve that constitutes the site remains in the full care and control of the city,” the resolution said.
The proposed plan was to then sublease the site to Tawarri Hot Springs Pty Ltd.
Lands minister John Carey announced in April that the state government would continue with the Tawarri Hot Springs project, and told the city the door remained open if it wished to reconsider its position.
The Tawarri site was then excised from the Class-A reserve with care, control and management of the site transferred to the Department of Planning, Lands and Heritage.
Mr Carey’s letter asked the city to advise how it foresees its inclusion in the development by May 20.
However, city councillors decided on Tuesday to ask for an extension of the deadline to allow time for the city to restart negotiations with the state government and for the council’s position to be represented in the negotiations.
The council will request the city chief executive to write for an extension until July 29.
Mr Carey said the decision-making from the council was “all over the place”.
“The council voted the project down, and now they’re requesting to be involved again, despite recent commentary opposing the redevelopment, including calling into question the advice of their own administration,” he said.
“This is why the state stepped in – because for six years, despite the City of Nedlands proposing this project and selecting the proponent, they couldn’t get their house in order and get on with the job.
“This kind of indecision and flip flopping risks our reputation as a state for future tourism investment.
“I have yet to receive any formal request from the city regarding a time extension so they can reconsider their position on the project.”
The council established a Tawarri Recommissioning Committee following Mr Carey's announcement in April.
Nedlands mayor Fiona Argyle also organised a rally to "Save Class A Reserve" over the weekend, with hundreds of people protesting against a redevelopment at the Tawarri site.
A facility on the Tawarri site known as “The Dome” was built in 1957 and operated as the Tawarri Function Centre until its closure in 2018.
An application for the $25 million facelift of the centre was lodged via the state government's State Development Assessment Unit to be considered by the WA Planning Commission, consisting of a day spa, a restaurant or cafe, and public realm and landscape works.
