Source : Perth Now news
Plans for a lifestyle village in Ravenswood with nearly 300 homes have been put on hold amid community opposition.
The Aspen Group wants to build a lifestyle village with up to 295 homes at Lot 889 Rodoreda Crescent in Ravenswood.
The village would cover 11ha of the 33.5ha site and be targeted at people 50 years and older seeking a “low maintenance, community oriented lifestyle”.
It is different to what is proposed under the Shire of Murray’s East Ravenswood structure plan, but a report to the council said it was “broadly consistent” with its objectives and would provide much-needed housing.
But the council voted 7-1 at its September 24 meeting to defer making a decision until October after a packed public gallery — which shire president Douglas McLarty said was the biggest he had seen as president — raised objections.
Mr McLarty said a deferral was prudent given the amount of input the council had received.
“A fortnight is just not quite enough time for us all to digest all of that and ensure that we are in fact getting a really positive outcome,” he said.
Cr Steve Lee voted against the deferral as he believed it would not make a difference and only delay things.
“It’s not really getting to the point of whether we consider this an appropriate development or not and I think that’s what should be debated tonight,” he said.
The proposal received 31 submissions when it was advertised for comment. Concerns included housing density, traffic and its effect on community infrastructure and the environment.
These concerns were reiterated during public question time and deputations at the council meeting.
Emi Rodini asked if the shire could guarantee that if it was approved the lifestyle village would remain for over-50s or be turned into low-income housing.
Mr McLarty said one of the proposed conditions of approval was that each dwelling have at least one occupant aged 50 or older.
Jenny Le-Fevre said the lifestyle village would be a “radical departure” from what was envisaged for the area.
“The council has a duty to the residents and ratepayers to protect and maintain the existing status quo, with any major departure requiring an amendment through the town planning scheme at the least which will require a fully detailed and an evidence-based application,” she said.
“We’re not against further lifestyle village accommodation in the area as long as it is relevant to Ravenswood.
“However, we believe that due to the many discrepancies arising from the DA (development application) … instead of accepting the DA at its face value, as appears to be the case, the council should exercise its option to refuse it and to advise the applicant that a fully detailed submission will be required.”
John Mitchell said there would be a “massive impact” from more people being able to access the river in the area, where there was “currently nobody”.
“What we do as a community along the river, we basically don’t cross over each other’s imaginary line; we have that to ourselves a bit, which is a privilege,” Mr Mitchell said.
“We will definitely have … large numbers of people coming towards that.
“A little example of that was the other day we had an Airbnb further down the road and the family have come out and sat out the back of our place because our lawn’s OK and the other one wasn’t.
“They sat there for two and a half hours and you know, we don’t do that. We don’t sit in front of everyone’s lawn.
“So it’s not like we don’t want to have the encroachment, it’s just that it doesn’t work.”
Kylie Knight said a traffic study for the proposal had not taken into account other developments in the area which would also increase traffic.
She said the intersection of Nancarrow Road, which was the main access in and out of Ravenswood, and Pinjarra Road had been ranked as the second riskiest regional intersection in WA.
“Are we putting all this development and traffic into Ravenswood before we’ve actually made sure that our roads and our main intersections can cope whilst maintaining safety for residents and visitors to the area?” Ms Knight said.
She said Rodoreda Crescent residents had prepared an alternative road layout that would provide a buffer against traffic for existing homes.
Her husband Phillip questioned the quality of the homes that would be built, saying it would affect the value of nearby “premium” properties.
“The developers are saying that it’s going to take seven days to fabricate the house. The proposed rapid construction methodology suggests to us that it’s like a transportable home park rather than a permanent high-quality residential estate,’ Mr Knight said.
“Properties along Rodoreda Crescent represent the premium tier of the community, featuring private jetties and dwellings.
“Introducing high-density transient-style development on the prime riverfront land will severely diminish the local property values.”
Aspen Group WA head of development Justin Mansillas said the development would include giving river access to the wider community and there would be checks and balances to keep the village for over-50s.
Planner Steve Allerding said they had listened to residents’ concerns and there had been more modifications to the proposal.
He said the lifestyle village would generate less traffic than a conventional residential development and an alternative road layout had been prepared.
“We have no interest in using Rodoreda. My belief would be if people have a destination, they want to go to Mandurah, they’ll be using Drakesbrook road east, heading across Old Mandurah Road that way,” Mr Allerding said.
“Jolly Rambler is one of the main roads that’s been planned to access Pinjarra Road.”
He said Aspen Group would create foreshore and environmental management plans and the village would be a “real benefit” to Ravenswood.
“It’s going to provide a much-needed housing option for older residents in Ravenswood as well as for other residents in the shire or people from outside the shire who may have young families living in Ravenswood and Murray where they want to be closer to them,” he said.
