Owners Silverleaf Investment recently submitted a development application to erect a multi-storey office block on the site, asking the City of Fremantle to consider a five-storey proposal.
The City held a community meeting on Tuesday night, giving residents the chance to have their say on the proposed height, something that has been a big issue in the minds of locals for a number of redevelopment proposals around the city centre.
One detractor of the Atwell Arcade’s proposed height is architect and former Design Advisory Committee member Linley Lutton, who put together a report outlining why five storeys would not work for this proposal.
‘My report for the community objectively outlines the City’s planning policies which state clearly that buildings above a certain height are not permissible in this area and this proposal significantly exceeds these limits,’ he said.
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READ NOW‘The impact of the building will seriously impinge on the pedestrian experience in the surrounding streets. The community needs to know these limitations and they must be provided with sufficient knowledge to help them advocate for better development outcomes.’
Fremantle planning and development director Philip St John said the proposal was open for public comment but no decision had been made as the department had yet to release any recommendations and the council had not yet seen the plans.
‘A landowner is entitled to submit any planning application they choose and, unless it is expressly prohibited by the scheme and provided it contains the correct information, the City processes that application in accordance with standardised procedures,’ he said.