Source : BUSINESS NEWS
A $49 million retirement village and apartment project in City Beach has been approved after the committee presiding member used her casting vote to break a deadlock.
The Statutory Planning Committee today voted to approve Ocean Gardens and Bode Property’s proposal to build a four-storey development and two apartment buildings up to six storeys with 31 multiple dwellings on Kalinda Drive.
The recommendation to approve was passed after Western Australian Planning Commission chair and SPC member Emma Cole used her casting vote to break the deadlock of 3-3.
Ocean Gardens proposed to demolish the eight villas on the City Beach site, to build its four-storey, 24-unit independent living project for over 55s.
An adjacent parcel of land within the Ocean Mia Estate has been sold to Subiaco developer Bode Property, for an undisclosed price.
Bode Property plans to build two residential buildings of four and six storeys comprising of 31 apartments under the same development proposal, with the whole project estimated to cost $48.9 million.
WAPC commissioner and SPC member Megan Adair said the application proposed two land uses and should be treated as two applications.
“It is my belief that this proposal is outside the remit for us to consider,” she said at the meeting.
Ms Adair said the SPC did not have the legal ability to consider the application.
However, Ms Cole said she was satisfied that the proposal could progress after receiving legal and planning advice.
“We have had some discussion about the ability of the SPC to determine the application,” she said.
“The development is occurring over the two lots, being operated independently with each other but being constructed as one project.”
The proposal was submitted to the state government’s Significant Development pathway.
