Blackburne high rise apartment tower in City Beach likely to win development approval this week
One of Perth’s more controversial apartment plans is likely to this week win final development approval, introducing an apartment highrise to City Beach for the first time.
The WA Planning Commission is likely to approve plans for the $200 million Ocean Village complex — which includes a 10-storey and a 22-storey tower — after the Special Pathways Development Unit recommended giving it the green light.
The move is set to anger some locals, with many critics planning to pack out the WA Planning Commission for Thursday’s announcement.
The complex will include 247 dwellings, 6480sqm of commercial floor space and 507 residential bays across 1.28ha in City Beach, along with eight food and beverage outlets and a half-line supermarket.
Most of the amenity is contained in a three-storey podium connecting the two residential towers.
Critics and supporters are almost evenly split over the development, with just over half the 1467 submissions made during a public consultation period opposed to the plans, including new State member for Churchlands Basil Zempilas.
The critics are primarily opposed to the tower’s height.
While there is no set height limit for the site, a group of landowners residing within the grouped dwellings at Sandpiper Mews and Shearwater Mews claim it exceeded what was intended for a neighbourhood centre.
They claim council intentions for 250 apartments on the site were intended to be low-rise, and spread evenly across the whole site.
“It would be logical to conclude that the intention of both the scheme and the strategy is for there to be low to medium-rise apartments to accommodate medium-density housing,” the submission from neighbouring residents stated.
“As per the R-Codes, these are buildings typically between two to four storeys.”
The group also complained about increased traffic, loss of privacy – with apartment balconies to overlook their backyards – loss of morning sun, and noise from the proposed tavern.
But developer Paul Blackburne said his company was delivering what the 2021 Local Planning Strategy prescribed for the site — between 200 and 250 dwellings.
However, he said that by adopting a taller, more slender tower instead of low-rise houses, the complex ensured more public open space, with the tower among 40,000sq m of park and bushland.
He said there was strong local demand from downsizers, with more than 500 inquiries about the apartments already.
The public consultation period attracted about 47 per cent outright support, or support with some amendment.
“People are excited to see what is currently a derelict shopping centre revitalised as well as wanting to buy a new home within the development,“ he said.
“The renewal of Ocean Village Shopping Centre is a thoughtful, community-driven project that aligns with the Town’s Local Planning Strategy, providing high-quality housing and vibrant, local amenities.
“It preserves the area’s character while addressing the need for diverse housing options and revitalising a beloved neighbourhood hub.”
The development will comprise 11 single-bedroom, 109 two-bedroom and 127 three-bedroom high-end apartments.
The complex will include 507 residential bays within the basement carpark.
A further five pick-up/drop-off bays are located within the lower ground level.
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