Several Bahama Close residents neighbouring the site attended Wednesday’s North-West Metro Development Assessment Panel meeting, with Martin Attwill and Norman Miller speaking against plans for the gym.
After the decision, Mr Attwill said speakers against the proposal were not opposed to the college’s need for a new gym but to how it carried out the development process .
‘The residents are bitterly disappointed at the decision handed down by the development assessment panel,’ he said.
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READ NOW‘The City of Joondalup recommended a refusal, and City councillors, who were on the panel, voted against the proposal as well.
‘The 3-2 outcome of the vote reflects how diametrically opposed the panel members were.’
He said residents were concerned illustrations showing the building’s height were inaccurate and not questioned by the panel.
‘The western perspective illustration appears to be misrepresented, with the new gym shown at what appears to be an understated height,’ he said.
‘The architects’ statement regarding a 9m height requirement over a basketball court also went unchallenged ” the actual requirement, as defined by the International Federation for Basketball, is 7m.’
Presiding member Karen Hyde, alternative deputy presiding member Ian Burch and specialist member Fred Zuideveld supported an alternative motion to approve the gym.
Mr Birch said the proposed area made up about 2 per cent of the whole site and the application was ‘perfectly reasonable’.
Mr Attwill thanked the City of Joondalup representatives on the panel for a ‘balanced perspective between the residents, the college and the City’.
Construction is expected to start by the end of the year.