Tapping into potential: City of Wanneroo considers developments

TWO development applications in Tapping will be considered at tomorrow’s City of Wanneroo council meeting.

Freshlink Export is seeking approval to increase the maximum retail net leasable area of a proposed commercial development on the corner of Clarkson Avenue and Wanneroo Road from 1900sq m to 4300sq m, and to change the residential coding of the eastern portion of the site from R40 to R60.

A City report said the council should recommend the WA Planning Commission approve both amendments.

At last week’s briefing session, councillor Samantha Fenn asked why the retail floor space increase was needed when an amendment approved in 2012 deemed it sufficient for the area.

“The neighbourhood hasn’t changed,” she said.

“There’s not going to be more urbanisation that supports an increase.”

City planning implementation manager Pas Bracone said the increase was relatively small as the amendment was about the portion used for retail and non-retail.

“The actual overall increase in floor space for the whole site is approximately only 700sq m. It’s the use which is changing,” he said.

Several councillors cited traffic as an issue but the City report said it would not cause a problem in either application.

“It is not considered to adversely impact on the flow of traffic in the area,” Mr Bracone said.

The residential recoding for the eastern portion of the site would allow for an additional 24 dwellings, taking the total to 169, increasing in height to a maximum of four storeys in the north-west corner.

Mr Bracone said it was consistent with the City’s local housing strategy.

Cr Frank Cvitan said he was concerned with the proposal.

“The intensity of this particular application has got me worried and the residents in the area,” he said.

Cr Cvitan said the council would need to make a “judgment call”.

“It’s trying to achieve what we want to do in terms of policy but it does seem to be out of context with the area,” he said.