Western suburb retirement village Ocean Gardens gets update as new apartment builds to be developed next-door

Towers will transform part of a popular City Beach’s retirement village after three apartment complexes were narrowly approved by the State’s peak planning body.

The divisive $49m project only just won favour with decision makers on Wednesday, with WA Planning Commission chairperson Emma Cole using her casting vote to get the development over the line.

“We have had a mixed response from the community, where we have seen just shy of 39.7 per cent support, 53.6 per cent opposing, so that is also a consideration,” she said.

The plans, which were sent out for community consultation this year, included two multistorey apartment buildings from developer Bode at the north-east site of Ocean Gardens retirement village, within the Ocean Mia estate, on Balandi Drive.

One will be four-storeys high comprising mostly 3-bedroom apartments, along with one 1-bedroom unit and a top floor penthouse.

To its south will be the taller six-storey complex that includes five 2-bedroom apartments, 16 3-bedroom, 3-bathroom units, and a penthouse.

Also approved yesterday was a proposal from Ocean Gardens to demolish eight existing independent-living units to make way for a four-storey retirement complex for over 55s.

The plans were not supported by the Town of Cambridge council earlier this year, which cited “unacceptable bulk and scale impacts” on nearby houses.