A new coastal community in Port Kennedy promising more than 1000 homes, a local centre and tourist accommodation will front the WA Planning Commission today.

The committee is recommending the northern portion of the structure plan be deferred pending further investigation into the suitability of a potential primary school site.

The remainder of the site will also need to be modified in various ways and be resubmitted to the Western Australian Planning Commission for its determination.

Course partially redeveloped

The Kennedy Bay development is proposed to be built on 66.8 hectares of land on Lot 3020 Port Kennedy Drive and Unallocated Crown Land No. 3019.

Plans include a main-street local centre, providing 1200sqm of retail floor space, open space, tourist accommodation and residential/home office opportunities. It is expected to house an estimated 3006 people in 1002 dwellings.

Some of the golf course will partially redeveloped as part of the land agreement with affected holes to be reconstructed.

Tough Criticism

The proposal, by developers Western Australia Beach and Golf Resort Pty Ltd, has faced tough criticism from the community, who raised concerns about the size and height of proposed residential lots, the limited access in and out of the development, pedestrian access to the beach, and environmental impacts.

At its council meeting on May 26, the City of Rockingham recommended approving the project subject to a wide range of changes including the need for a primary school site, the exclusion of the Parks and Recreation reserve from the public open space calculation, the preparation of a fauna survey and the preparation of a Precinct Plan for the local centre. But many of its recommendations have been rejected in the report to the WAPC.

Mayor Barry Sammels said the City was concerned that some recommendations had not been supported and that the concerns of the community “have not been addressed”.

“The City will be seeking to make representations to the WAPC in support of the council’s adopted position on the matter,” Cr Sammels said.

The structure plan was publicly advertised by the City for a period of 28 days from February 14.

156 Objections

A total of 315 public submissions were received. Of those, 156 raised objections; 101 were in full support; 32 offered condition support and 26 were neutral.

Port Kennedy Progress Association chairman Dirk Mulder said the communities suggested inclusions had “fallen on deaf ears”.

“Almost all the communities concerns are now coming true,” he said.

“In short, this appears to grant the developer their wish list and more without adequately requiring the developer to provide amenity that the public wants.”

But development manager David Roberts said most recommendations had been incorporated.

“We are putting all of our efforts towards ensuring the delivery of what will be an incredible infrastructure and lifestyle asset for locals and visitors alike.”

“With construction of the new world-class golf clubhouse and reinvigorated Links course already under way … we look forward to … this exciting evolution of the Port Kennedy community.”

Source: The West Australian