The vacant lot behind the Como Hotel that developers are considering for a Dan Murphy’s liquor store.
Camera IconThe vacant lot behind the Como Hotel that developers are considering for a Dan Murphy’s liquor store. Credit: Supplied/Andrew Ritchie

Bottle shop battle looms

Staff ReporterSouthern Gazette

At the February council meeting, the City of South Perth endorsed the proposed Amendment No 40 to Town Planning Scheme No 6 so it could be advertised for community comment.

The recommendation asks for comment on the rezoning of land behind the Como Hotel from Residential, with a density coding of R40, to Highway Commercial, with a density coding of R80 and to amend the Scheme Map for Precinct 3 ‘South Perth Civic’.

The report out for comment closes this Friday but residents say they need more time.

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Norton Street resident Phil Watson said he is not opposed to rezoning the block to make room for more car park lots as the report says, but he is opposed to a Dan Murphy’s liquor store being built on the land that the current liquor store occupies.

The report said Australian Leisure and Hospitality Group Property Holdings are proposing a fresh round of refurbishment and development at the site.

‘These plans include the extension of car parking onto the adjoining Lot 6 South Terrace,’ the report said.

ALHG was also considering replacing the existing bottle shop with a larger Dan Murphy’s packaged liquor outlet.

The style of the bottle shop facility would change from being primarily a drive-through facility with some browsing capacity to a larger format store for browsing customers only.

‘I had heard they were rezoning that back lot, that’s OK, but I don’t want a huge supermarket here,’ Mr Watson said.

‘I remember a notice coming around about the rezoning. Had they said it meant a Dan Murphy’s would be built I would have taken more notice earlier.

‘This is a quiet street, there is no noise ” maybe sometimes on a Friday night there is some ” but with a big supermarket here there will be noise all the time. I don’t want a big construction here, it will devalue my property.’

City of South Mayor Sue Doherty said the City had advertised the proposal as required which included mailing letters to landowners in the vicinity of the site.

‘The applicants have indicated they plan to build a Dan Murphy’s store on a portion of the hotel site replacing the existing liquor store,’ she said.

She added that the scheme amendment No. 40 needed to be approved by the Minister before the applicant could submit detailed development drawings of the liquor store.

‘Once the scheme amendment is approved, the applicant can submit detailed development drawings for a replacement liquor store to be advertised for community comment,’ she said.

‘While the applicants have indicated that they wish to construct a new Dan Murphy’s liquor store, no development drawings can be submitted until the amendment has been finalised.’

– Local residents are planning a meeting and said notice would be given as soon as possible.