Amended plan wins approval for Hillarys development

The application went to the Metro North-West Joint Development Assessment in July but was deferred because there had not been enough time to consider 40 public submissions and to request the applicant reconsider issues raised, including access to visitor parking, setbacks, overshadowing and the possibility of redesigning the development to the north of the site.

The applicant sought a decision review at the State Administrative Tribunal and changes were made to the $6 million proposal, including making the development three-storey instead of two-storey.

Architect Giles Harden Jones said this would move the bulk of the building off the southern boundary, away from neighbouring properties.

The dwellings have also increased from 17 to 18, consisting of one one-bedroom, five two-bedroom and 12 three-bedroom units all with balconies, distributed over the three storeys.

Openings have been removed from south-eastern balconies to ensure privacy between the development and neighbouring properties and trees will be planted in the courtyard to increase this.

There will be three commercial tenancies on the ground floor consisting of an office, restaurant and shop and an internal courtyard with spa and lap pool, with service equipment now located in the centre of the site away from the boundary.

Basement parking will include 54 car bays accessible from Mallorca Avenue along with three parallel bays on Mallorca Avenue and eight on Angove Drive.

Mr Harden Jones said making the bays on Mallorca Avenue parallel addressed issues raised and would allow for more landscaping.

Residents at the assessment panel meeting continued to raise concerns, stating the amended proposal was still requesting a number of discretions including setbacks (5.5m instead of the required 6m), open space (31.5 per cent instead of the required 45 per cent) and height.

City of Joondalup planning and community development director Dale Page said the amended proposal would not affect neighbours in terms of overshadowing and bulk and though the open space was less than it should be, it would also not affect neighbours.

“This site has been developed in a more intense manner than the residents originally envisaged but this site was always envisaged as a medium-density site with some commercial uses,” she said.

“The first plan that was submitted, the City felt the cumulative discretion was way too much but I think the applicant has done a bit to reduce the areas where discretion is sought.

“I think the areas that have been reduced are the areas which most impacted the neighbours.”

Mr Harden Jones said the development was marginally over height but the bulk and scale was on the Angove Drive and Whitfords Avenue streetscape and there would be no affect on neighbours.

“We are plot ratio compliant and we are not out of character with surrounding areas,” he said.

“There’s plenty of large houses in the area with considerable bulk and scale squeezed on to fairly small blocks.”

Joondalup councillor John Chester said the State Government had an initiative to mandate densification to allow sustainable development and so he felt the development was not excessive.

Approval conditions include the construction of pedestrian footpaths on Angove Drive and Mallorca Avenue and lighting installed along car parking, communal open space and common service areas and pedestrian pathwaysbefore the development is occupied and construction of a solid 1.6m high privacy screening above the pool deck.

Panel deputy presiding member Paul Drechsler said the amended proposal was a great improvement.

“I am in favour of the mixed-use land use because it is a significant corner site in close proximity to the ocean and I think the idea of providing amenity to the broader community, not just for the neighbours, is quite important too,” he said.