Call for plan on centre growth

At a Joondalup City council briefing last month, planning and community development director Dale Page said Federation |Centres wanted to upgrade and expand the shopping centre, and a landowner in the commercial area was seeking a proposal for a mixed use, medium to high-|density residential development.

But under state planning policy 4.2, the Warwick commercial area is designated a secondary centre, which requires an activity centre structure plan be prepared before any retail development. An amendment to district planning scheme 2 will also be required to rezone the site.

Ms Page said given the time it would take to prepare the structure plan and scheme amendment, and have it approved by the WA Planning Commission, minor developments such as modifications to car parking, signage and changes of use should not be delayed and could be considered prior to the structure plan being in place.

She said the City was also proposing some ‘non-|negotiables’, given ‘some of the challenges experienced in the recent structure planning process for a different secondary centre’.

These include the proponents engaging other landholders in the planning process and a proposal for development contributions.

The boundary of the proposed structure plan covers the area including the shopping centre and the commercial area bounded by Dorchester and Ellersdale avenues, Dugdale Street and Erindale and Beach roads.