Wanneroo City Council agreed to an amended draft deed of agreement with Yanchep Beach Joint Venture at the December 17 special council meeting.
After emails from the developer circulated to elected members, Cr Brett Treby proposed amendments to the recommendations on the council agenda which were unanimously supported by the 14 members present.
Cr Treby said the two issues seemed to be the last ‘roadblocks’ to the project to build two ovals north of the Marmion Avenue and Yanchep Beach Road roundabout.
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READ NOW‘That community needs that infrastructure now,’ he said.
Cr Dianne Guise said the amendments were a ‘no-brainer’ as she had been in Two Rocks the previous day and been told by residents, given the choice between a T-junction and the ovals, they wanted the ovals.
Mayor Tracey Roberts said current facilities were getting ‘absolutely hammered by overuse’ and the City wanted to provide facilities for the youth to play sport.
Mrs Roberts said they needed the State Government to acquire land in Alkimos so the City could build facilities similar to Madeley’s Kingsway Regional Sporting Complex in that area.
‘Getting these ovals up and running will really make a huge difference to the youth up in Yanchep,’ Cr Linda Aitken added.
The City’s lawyer Karen Browne said the draft deed of agreement would be amended and sent to the developer’s lawyers before December 20.
The Times understands that if YBJV agreed to sign the deed, the partners would not start work until Planning Minister John Day has gazetted a planning policy amendment involving a developer contributions plan (DCP) to fund community facilities.
If that is not gazetted within 12 months of YBJV and the City signing the deed, the City will start looking at other options, and the agreement will lapse if the DCP has not been gazetted in 18 months.
According to the council report, oval groundworks and the Marmion Avenue extension should be completed 20 weeks after gazettal.
It said there were financial risks for the City, which can only claim costs directly related to the ovals from the DCP, and therefore not for the roadworks.
Butler MLA John Quigley said the community should be congratulated on its campaigning early in 2013.