Council approves double-storey development despite neighbours’ complaints

A TWO-STOREY house has been approved on Malcolm Street despite the nearly 10 neighbours protesting with the council.

The City of Fremantle’s planning committee gave the green light for the owners of 25 Malcolm Street for their development at its January 15 meeting.

The development intends to replace the existing house with a two-storey house that would be 6.5m tall on the east side and 8.3m on the west side of the sloping Malcolm Street.

The committee heard from eight nearby residents, who raised concerns about the developments impact on their views of the harbour and ocean, the current buildings heritage value and the look of the proposed development, which was described as a black box.

During the public consultation a total of 11 written submissions were received, all against the development.

The City officers report states that previous alterations to the building undermined the properties heritage significance to the street.

The applicants sought variations to the lot boundary setbacks, heights and visual privacy, which were all granted.

The committee previously deferred making a decision on the development in December to allow the applicant to address neighbours’ concerns and review the height and setback of the eastern wall and the configuration of the deck, allow only the former was altered.

Council gave conditional planning approval for the construction of a two storey building at the site in 2014 but this was not acted on.

Cr Rachel Pemberton, who voted in favour of the development in 2014, said it was an “on balance decision” but she did not feel comfortable with the variations sought.

Other councillors, including Mayor Brad Pettit, said they understood the concerns of neighbours but the development was supportable under planning grounds.

It was approved 5-2.