Shop wars over Whitford City expansion

The strategy was first advertised in August to October 2012 and 57 submissions were received, of which three were technical submissions.

The City then commissioned a review of the strategy that resulted in a revised strategy with improvements.

At the meeting, Belinda Moharich, representing Lend Lease (owner of Lakeside Joondalup shopping city), asked councillors to defer their decision because the revised version of the plan was only released a week prior.

She said some of the modifications were significant and would affect the interests of landowners in the City of Joondalup.

‘It is Lend Lease’s view that it hasn’t been provided with sufficient time to consider the proposed modifications and to provide the City with its concerns,’ she said.

She said the modifications were based on data that had not been updated and this meant the retail floor space required in the City was less than what was stated in local commercial strategy.

‘It is a great concern to Lend Lease that Whitford (City Shopping Centre) has been assigned a 50 per cent increase in floor space by way of the modifications.’

Planning and community development director Dale Page said the retail floor space threshold for Whitford City was increased from 50,000sqm to 75,000sqm following the review.

She said the strategy was updated using current data and population potentials.

She said the review found Whitford City had ‘the potential to grow more than its current 50,000sqm for a number of reasons, but certainly not above 75,000sqm before it starts having a negative impact on the Joondalup City centre and other centres’.

The WA Planning Commission will be asked to endorse the plan.