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Negotiations need time

Lucy Jarvis, North Coast TimesNorth Coast Times

In an update on the progress of negotiations with Yanchep Beach Joint Venture (YBJV), Mr Simms said negotiations had progressed well with five meetings between July 6 and August 1.

He said the City’s legal panel had drafted a deed of agreement, given to YBJV’s legal representative Ashurst Australia on August 22.

In May, the council decided to allow three months for negotiations, which started after the developer agreed to resume negotiations on June 21.

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‘The time for negotiating, finalising and tabling a draft deed of agreement for council’s consideration should be extended by a further two months so as to ensure that YBJV is not unreasonably required to form a final view,’ he said.

Mr Simms said discussions had focused on the gazetting of Amendment 122 to the local planning policy which would allow the City to collect contributions from developers to fund community infrastructure in Yanchep/Two Rocks and Alkimos/Eglinton.

In a separate report on the September 17 agenda, councillors will consider a recommendation to advertise proposed increases to interim developer contributions.

That report said the interim contribution rates should be increased while the City waits for the WA Planning Commission and Planning Minister to approve the scheme.

‘It is not known how long it will take the WAPC and the minister to make a final decision on Amendment No. 122,’ it said.

‘If the interim contribution rate is not adjusted in the meantime, then the City will effectively be under-collecting contributions, resulting in either a shortfall of funds to deliver the facilities in the future, or imposition of a higher than expected contribution rate to recover that shortfall.’

The report said the estimate rate per lot in Alkimos and Eglinton should be $4000, double the existing rate.

In Yanchep and Two Rocks, it proposed an increase from $1750 per dwelling to $2195, although if the Yanchep playing fields are acquired, that would increase again to $3312.