Due care for $30 million land

"We are eager to progress this as quickly as possible, but we understand this is a complex request," Curtin Care chairman David Cox said.

Since 2009, Mosman Park, Cottesloe, Peppermint Grove and Claremont councils have shared conditional tenure of the beachside, Marine Parade land.

Curtin Care leases the site from the councils for a nominal fee and it plans to double aged-care accommodation currently housing about 88 seniors.

Mr Cox said while the land had a caveat that it be only used for aged care, total Curtin Care ownership was needed so seniors had long-term security, a 1980s-built wing could be demolished and construction could start on new independent living and serviced units.

"People haven't grasped the recent changes in legislation that mean it is now a user-pays aged-care system, and we need to provide a better environment for our residents," he said.

Mr Cox said he thought the State Government would want to resume and sell the land if it was not transferred to Curtin Care.

Last week, Cottesloe and Peppermint Grove councillors approved advertising a Cottesloe-prepared business plan proposing Curtin Care get the council's four shares or a 99-year lease on the land, both for a nominal free.

Suggestion the land could be sold was mooted and refuted at recent Peppermint Grove and Mosman Park councils meetings.

Peppermint Grove Cr Charles Hohen said he had concerns about the "thoroughness" of the business plan for "a fantastic piece of land", but the covenant said it must be used for aged care.

Mosman Park Mayor Ron Norris said it was worth having his councillors' queries about the land transfer answered now, and not later, when the site was "really a Government reserve".