Source : Perth Now news
Hungry Jacks and KFC will open new shopfronts in a long-awaited Hammond Park shopping centre development, after the two popular fast food outlets gained planning approval.
But the developers behind the Hammond Park Neighbourhood Centre have been asked to stump up $25,500 worth of extra artwork to reflect the increased construction costs of their application.
At a meeting late last month, the Metro Outer Development Assessment Panel unanimously approved a proposal to build Hungry Jacks and KFC outlets, as part of the $8.5 million new shopping centre development.
The centre is set to open in September. It will anchored by a Woolworths, which is building its first supermarket in the suburb. The centre will also include a cafe, restaurants, newsagent, beauty and barber shops, and a medical service.
The 250sqm Hungry Jacks will be built on pad sites at Lot 1 Wattleup Road. The KFC will take up 270sqm. Hungry Jacks is currently required to have at least five bicycle spaces and six car bays. KFC will need six bike spaces and seven car bays. The car space requirements could be reduced, as each outlet will have a lower floorspace than the 300sqm initially proposed.
Construction for the two sites, which required the additional planning approval, will add an estimated $2.5m to the centre’s total construction cost.
City of Cockburn officers recommended the application for a building permit be approved, on condition that the applicants also install a public artwork next to the fast food outlets to match the increased construction costs. This equates to about $25,000.
However, the applicants did not think this was a fair request, claiming they already have an approved public art concept for the site.
Rowe Group principal town planner Lidija Langford — speaking on behalf of assigned property developers Sunview Developments and Aigle Royal – said any additional public art contribution would be “ad-hoc” and have limited benefit.
“We’re supportive of (the city’s) recommendation to approve the application, however we’re not supportive of recommended condition number 33 in relation to a recommended public art contribution,” she said.
“This is on the basis that a public art contribution was contemplated through the original development approval for the stage one application, which included a condition requiring a public art contribution.
“As part of satisfying the condition, our client had engaged artist Peter McKeikan to prepare a public art design, which has since gone through the process with the City of Cockburn and been approved.”
Mr McKeikan designed three sculptures across the site. One piece will be installed between the two fast food outlets.
The scupltures were approved by the city in June 2024. The artwork was estimated to cost $85,000, equating to 1 per cent of the $8.5m main building cost, as required by the council.
“We think the public art contribution should be considered holistically, it shouldn’t be based on individual applications that come through. It should be considered based on the whole site, which we feel has been done through the approved public art concept already,” Ms Langford said.
She said the three sculptures and a landscaped pocket park to be built near the fast food outlets would provide enough amenity for the area.
But city officers said because the construction of the two fast food shops was adding $2.5m to the development’s total cost, the art value also needed to increase.
“From the city’s perspective, we disagree that it’s been captured in the first stage in terms of the value of the development,” coordinator of development services Riley Brown said.
“The estimated cost of stage one – the main building – was $8.5m and the public art contract that was provided and approved to the city was $85,000, so that’s 1 per cent of that. This is now an additional part of the development, with an estimated cost of $2.5m. So our position is if that original public art approval is intended to cover all of this, then it’s short by $25,000 or so.”
Mr Brown said the artwork location could be amended to be more flexible, but the value of the public art needed to increase alongside the value of the development.
Development approval panel member councillor Chontelle Stone also flagged concerns with condition four regarding waste management on the site.
The condition stated the premises be kept in a “neat and tidy condition at all times by the owner/occupier”, but Cr Stone said fast food outlets facilitate a lot of rubbish and this compliance measure was too vague.
Mr Brown suggested an amendment specifying the developer remove any graffiti, litter or weeds that appear in the landscaping areas, and maintain any items that fall into disrepair.
Despite DAP deputy presiding member Eugene Koltasz claiming this could be construed as telling the developers “how to suck eggs” and was too controlling, the panel voted 4-1 to include the amendment.
“This is about responsibility. Local governments are responsible for a lot of different things, waste management being one of them. It is known that there is issues around fast food and the amount of waste they do generate,” Cr Stone said.
“It is then putting that responsibility of who is tidying that up around the site, and I think the condition allows for that. Plus some of the other issues that could pop up around the site have been tightened up with this condition.”
The Hammond Park Shopping Centre has six leasing opportunities remaining before it opens in September.
