Joondalup Mayor Troy Pickard told a recent community forum it would be about three years before work could start on the marina development, which is estimated to take 13 years, but public access could be available from about five years into construction.
The City of Joondalup and the Ocean Reef Sea Sports Club hosted more than 600 people at three community forums last month.
Mr Pickard said it had been 15 to 20 years since the first concept for the marina had been revealed, with significant progress over the past four years.
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READ NOW‘The Ocean Reef Marina concept plan put out for community consultation (in 2009) received more than 11,000 responses, with 96 per cent supporting the project in its current form,’ he said.
Urban planning consultant Bill Burrell said the project was now in a legal stage with an amendment to the Metropolitan Region Scheme submitted to the WA Planning Commission in July.
He said the amendment ” which rezones the land, changes the boundaries of the Marmion Marine Park and triggers environmental assessments at state and federal level ” could take two years to process.
He said the city was also working on a local structure plan and this could also take two years.
Environmental consultant Darren Walsh said the City of Joondalup had been undertaking studies to support the environmental assessments for the past five or six years and the city would be able to lodge the document with the Environmental Protection Authority in about three months, triggering another possible two-year assessment process including public consultation.
Mr Pickard said the city had so far spent $2.3 million.
The marina project includes an amphitheatre and Ocean Reef RSL war memorial, food, beverage and retail facilities, internal beaches, a water park, fishing and boating facilities and sites for the Ocean Reef Sea Sports Club, Whitfords Volunteer Sea Rescue Group and Department of Transport.
Three projects flagged for possible development in the future include an artificial reef, a super yacht berth and ocean pool.
See also page 4