Controversial $76m boomer apartment plans approved by planning authorities
LOS ANGELES: A shopping centre will be demolished to make way for a new multimillion-dollar apartment and shopping complex, after a final bid by the council and locals to block the controversial proposal was overruled by State planners.
The WA Planning Commission on Thursday approved the $75.7 million project — known as Mos Lane — from Australian Development Capital.
The five-storey complex will feature 70 apartments and townhouses, a swimming pool for residents, a gym, two restaurants, five shops and a liquor store.
It will also have 194 parking bays, including 85 for shoppers and 109 for residents.
The dated neighbourhood shopping centre on Wellington and Manning Streets, including an IGA supermarket, will be knocked down to make way for the three-building development in a bid to revive the corner.
ADC executive director Adam Zorzi said the project intends to provide local residents an opportunity to live in a “beautiful new, convenient home” that offers an alternative to the single residential stock dominating the local neighbourhood.
“The approval of the Mos Lane project comes at an opportune time for an increasingly discerning Perth market that is rightfully demanding more from apartment design that delivers on a truly considered approach to contemporary lifestyles,” he said.
Deon White, partner at planning firm Hatch Roberts Day, told the meeting ADC was “absolutely confident” the project would be of “exceptional value to the community”.
“It’s a really good local neighbourhood centre … but if we look at the condition of the centre it is really past its use-by date,” he said.
He said the IGA had already come on board as a key tenant and they were in active discussions with other existing businesses to move into the new building.
Funding has already been secured and work is expected to begin early next year, Mr White said.
The unanimous approval came after the town and nine residents spoke against the proposal, raising concerns over the building’s height, bulk, traffic and parking impacts, loss of amenities and a lack of community benefit.
Mosman Heights Action Group spokesman John Kannegiesser said its more than 330 members supported sensible redevelopment of the site consistent with local planning regulations, but that this development was not appropriate.
“This development has been cut and manipulated to fit the glass slipper that is a State Development Assessment Unit process,” he said in a written submission to the WAPC.
“Another isolated, sterile apartment development is not a priority for the State Government — but low cost, affordable housing, townhouses of three storeys, is a major development focus. That’s what should be on this site.”
More than 700 submissions were received during the Town of Mosman Park’s public consultation period, 515 of which objected to the proposal.
Town of Mosman Park urban planning and development chief Ross Minett said the developers had not done enough to show the benefits were “clearly needed or tangible to the Mosman Park community”.
“The town believes that this development is not beneficial to the public, good for Mosman Park and a decision of approval will predicate an unanticipated long-term strategic planning pathway for the local centre,” he said.
“This is against the town and the community’s wishes”.
ADC said community benefit would be achieved through on-site public and private open space and proposed upgrades to surrounding laneways, streets and verges — subject to approval from the town.
SDAU planning director Paola Di Perna said in a report the plans should be approved as the reduced height and overall design were “contextually appropriate” and would “mitigate negative impacts” on the neighbourhood.
”The proposed development would align with the purpose and intent of the local planning scheme by delivering greater land use efficiency and vibrancy along with improved urban amenity for the neighbourhood centre,” she said.
Speaking in support of the approval, Commissioner Gene Koltasz said the proponent had conducted a high level of community consultation over several years and had shown a willingness to engage with the community and council.
“I think the resulting design has overcome a lot of those concerns both with the articulation of materials, the separation of the two buildings and the development outcome is far better than originally proposed,” he said.
“I think that, in time, the community will notice a far better experience shopping in that location.”
Construction will create 140 jobs, with 43 ongoing jobs expected once the mixed-use development is complete.