Headway on gym issues

SOME conditions imposed on the approval of a new gym at Sacred Heart College were reconsidered at a Development Assessment Panel meeting on Thursday.

It was the fourth time the proposal had come before the North-West Metro panel after being deferred in February, refused in June and conditionally approved three votes to two in September following a State Administrative Tribunal review.

The applicant has since sought further tribunal review of some of the conditions of the approval that relate to traffic, stormwater, construction and refuse management, landscaping and external colours and materials.

A meeting document said during the tribunal mediation process, the applicant had provided further information on these issues, which City officers were satisfied with before reconsidering the conditions.

The condition stating the development could only be used for college or school community purposes without prior City approval remained and the applicant cannot start construction work until a construction management plan is provided.

Lavan Legal partner Paul McQueen said the applicant supported the revised conditions.

“The dispute related to the need for greater clarity and certainty with respect to a number of items,” he said.

“We are now satisfied that that certainty has been achieved through the mediation process and therefore content with the recommended conditions.”

Joondalup Cr Mike Norman said residents still had concerns about traffic in nearby street Bahama Close.

“We are confident that both during the construction process and the operation of the school, the (traffic management) plan will effectively deal with traffic management,” Mr McQueen said.

Planning and community development director Dale Page said while the City understood the concerns, the traffic issue was “an existing problem without the gym”.

“The traffic management plan is appropriate and it becomes the school’s responsibility to manage the issue and if they’re not managing the issue, then it will become the City’s responsibility to make sure they do so,” she said.

The $8.4 million, two-storey gym will have two indoor and six outdoor courts, a soccer field, five classrooms, biomechanics and weight rooms and a bridge to connect to the existing gym.