Cottesloe beach will get high rises but not like the Gold Coast: WA premier
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Version 0 of 1. Perth's Cottesloe beachfront will be able to rise but not to Gold Coast levels, with up to eight storeys allowed under a new town planning scheme. According to plans agreed upon after years of debate, a five-storey limit will be set for properties on Marine Parade. At the book ends will be the Ocean Beach Hotel, which will be permitted to reach up to eight storeys, and Il Lido Italian Canteen, which could become six storeys high. The state planning minister, John Day, said developments above three storeys along Marine Parade must be set back further on the block to reduce their visual impact and prevent overshadowing. The WA premier, Colin Barnett, who is also the member for Cottesloe, said the allowance for development was modest. "It is not high-rise, it is not the Gold Coast – nothing like that," he told reporters on Wednesday. Barnett said the development of apartments and retail space was supported by the majority of the community. "Not everyone wants to go to the beach and sit on the sand," he said. "People like to enjoy the ambience of the area whether it's a cafe or a restaurant or retail [and] do some shopping." The premier said there was a need to revitalise run-down buildings and provide better facilities for the world-renowned beach. Day said the agreement took much longer than usual due to substantial public consultation and legal action. He said the white sands of Cottesloe beach were already internationally renowned, but the beachfront needed to be upgraded to contemporary standards to provide for a variety of commercial businesses including small bars and short-stay accommodation. Barnett, the member for Cottesloe since 1990, said he was disappointed it had taken so long. "It's been an issue for all of the time I've been a member of parliament," he said. |