SAT hearing for liquor store

Wanneroo City Council stood by its December decision to refuse the application by Coles to build a liquor store next to its Kingsbridge Boulevard supermarket at last week's council meeting.

The matter, which had already been through two mediation sessions at SAT, was scheduled to go to a full hearing from July 1 to 3.

Former Wanneroo mayor Jon Kelly, whose family owns the newsagency next to Coles, gave a deputation opposing the plans before the June 23 meeting.

"This is an application with virtually no redeeming features whatever from council or the community's perspectives," he said.

Mr Kelly said the area had been designed to have a "vibrant and active main street" that it had not achieved, and the liquor store would deactivate the main street and alienate the community from existing shops.

Lavan Legal lawyer Paul McQueen gave a deputation on behalf of Coles, warning if the council and SAT refused the application, it could be resubmitted to a development assessment panel.

Mr McQueen said the application was about planning integrity and the amended plans included an entry off the main street.

"We have improved connectivity from west to the east (and) we have dealt with the ability to bring people to the front of the building," he said.

"The only thing that remains the same is that shop 11 (the newsagency) will lose its access from the airlock to the shops."

Mr McQueen said if they redesigned the plans and placed the liquor store at the back of the supermarket it would be the "antithesis" of the council's original decision.

"If you refuse it, we are all going to be dragged to a very expensive SAT hearing."

Councillors unanimously reaffirmed their original decision to refuse the application and invite Coles to submit amended plans.

They also supported an amendment moved by Cr Sabine Winton to advise SAT and the applicant that they did not think the application had addressed traffic management issues, particularly to do with delivery trucks.