Wanneroo City Council requested at last Tuesday’s meeting that the chief executive seek further details from the Vietnamese Community regarding the form of the proposed building that could be developed at 41 Park Lane and its use.
City businesses director Karen Caple said these were two areas that required greater due diligence.
‘The concept plans given as part of the EOI (Expression of Interest) proposal are very generic plans and perhaps there’s a need to seek more information from the proponent as to the exact nature of the facility that it wishes to build, if council approves to lease the site,’ she said.
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READ NOWAdministration had also recommended the City maintain its support of the lease in principle and negotiate the final terms and conditions while more information was sought, but Mayor Tracey Roberts proposed an amendment at the meeting.
She said she had concerns supporting the lease in principle when councillors did not have all the information, so she proposed to have information brought back to council before proceeding.
She also requested the Vietnamese Community confirm they wish to continue with the lease because at the briefing the week before, Kevin Lehane from the Save the Trees in Our Park action group said he had been contacted by the Vietnamese Community’s president saying he no longer wished for the application to proceed in the interest of racial harmony.
Ms Caple said the City has not received any written confirmation of this.
However, at the meeting Cr Ian Goodenough said about two weeks ago he was approached by prominent members of the Vietnamese Community, expressing misgivings regarding the lease proposal.
Cr Dot Newton said she was glad the Vietnamese Community was being asked to confirm their position.
‘In this day and age, I find it really difficult that any group would want to build a building that’s going to cost well in excess of $1 million and never own it and I have to wonder whether they actually realise that that building will never be theirs ” it will always be council’s,’ she said.