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Councillors give short thrift for long-term change on Cottesloe pier proposal

Jon BassettWestern Suburbs Weekly

COTTESLOE Council has not backed changes for a proposed restaurant and pier at Cottesloe Beach.

Laurie Scanlan, the architect of the nearby Indiana Restaurant, has pursued a pier estimated to cost about $15 million for several years.

His proposed project extends the groyne by 30m for an underwater observatory, swimming enclosure and a pavilion with a cafe-bar, function room and a small hotel suite.

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It was reviewed by the WA Environmental Protection Authority in 2016, but the site is outside council boundaries and would require WA Planning Commission and ministerial approvals.

Mr Scanlan updated Cottesloe Mayor Phil Angers and chief executive Mat Humfrey recently, and the Department of Lands (DoL) asked the council if it would accept a long-term lease for the pier.

DoL also requested extending the local government boundary for it and a new rule providing a right to use the foreshore path and groyne to get to the facility this month.

“You’re not being asked to support this project, as it’s outside the council’s boundary, but you are being asked to allow the process to continue,” Mr Scanlan said at the meeting last Tuesday.

He said the council could defer making a decision on the department’s requests and have a workshop-type community meeting so that questions could be asked and support sought.

“This is the best worked-up proposal I’ve seen since I’ve come to this council, as it’s got more facts than grains of sand around the groyne,” Cr Sandra Boulter said.

She and Cr Rob Thomas suggested a brief survey of residents saying just ‘yes’ or ‘no’ for the proposal.

However, councillors, apart from Cr Boulter and Cr Sally Pyvis, voted to reject the workshop.

They will instead tell the DoL they do not support a long-term seabed lease, a new right to use the foreshore path and groyne and increasing the council’s boundaries to include the pier.