MAYLANDS MLA Lisa Baker has called on the City of Stirling to force landowners to tidy up an “eyesore” in Inglewood.
The City of Stirling has been corresponding with the landowners since 2009 and the matter is still being dealt with through the legal process.
Ms Baker said the Council needed to demand landowners did something about the site, near the corner of Wood and Beaufort streets.
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READ NOW“This has been going on too long; the owners have insisted the developers stick with very minor modifications to this plan,” Ms Baker said.
“The plan was rejected by the council, it then went to the Development Assessment Panels (DAP) and even DAP, who are infamous for passing anything outside of the town planning scheme zones, have rejected it.
“Basically, we have a situation where even the re-planned development is not going to get up – are we going to have to live with this for another 8 years?”
In September 2014, the developer lodged an application for a six-storey, mixed-use residential and commercial building.
The City recommended the Joint Development Assessment Panel (JDAP) refuse the application, as the plot ratio did not meet residential codes, design principles and forms and it fell under a heritage protection area.
City of Stirling health and compliance manager Peter Morrison said JDAP had considered two proposals at the site and refused both.
“The refusal was scheduled for hearing at the State Administrative Tribunal (SAT), however, the applicant (the developer) vacated the proceedings and the matter was dismissed.”
Mr Morrison said it was the property owner’s responsibility to control the activities on this site.
“The original intention by the owners was to rebuild after the fire but that did not eventuate,” he said.
“There was also an intention by the owner to demolish the building and the City subsequently granted a demolition licence for the owner to take down the building.
“The demolition did not occur and the licence lapsed.”
Mr Morrison said the owner failed to comply (without a reasonable excuse) to demolish the building in September 2014 and council took legal action, which was postponed several times because of the proposed major development.
“However, given the failure of the proposal, the matter is still being dealt with through the legal process and is scheduled to return to court later this month,” he said.
The Guardian Express could not reach the developer for comment.