By Chris Thomson | posted on July 5, 2018
THE final draft structure plan for a five-star resort between Lake Vancouver and Goode Beach is now in the public realm – with a recommendation that the WA Planning Commission approve it in the face of almost 270 objections.
Last Thursday, The Weekender revealed that an Albany council planning committee would consider the planned resort on July 11 after City staff and councillors convened separate closed-door meetings with the Frenchman Bay Association and project proponents (‘Goode Beach plans progress’, June 28).
Now it can be reported that Ahola Planning and landowners Cherry Martin and Rolf Koch have achieved a recommendation of approval from Albany’s city planners for the controversial 51-unit blueprint.
The proponents’ 401-page report depicts a swimming pool, seven single-floor buildings and five double-floor buildings including a function centre and cafe-cum-dining area.
The City’s planners have provided responses to many of the 315 public submissions received on the resort.
Almost 270 submissions oppose the project, about 20 support, and about 30 provide advice or do not proffer a strong view either way.
Among respondents offering advice is the Department of Biodiversity, Conservation and Attractions that advises it cannot comment on the resort’s impact on vegetation because a current flora survey was not conducted.
Contrastingly, the Frenchman Bay Association’s submission says the proponents “appear to want to sweep away all the environmental, social and fiscal risks identified in previous exhaustive investigations”.
“The FBA has recently been advised by the City of Albany planners that previous studies are not relevant, as the proposed resort ‘is a completely different proposal to previous proposals’ ,” the residents’ lobby group submits.
“The FBA, however, strongly disagrees with this statement, because the site is exactly the same as it was three decades ago.
“It is the size of the proposed resort, as described in the Structure Plan, that is different, not the site.”
A submission by the Department of Water and Environmental Regulation is even more frank.
“For the proponents of this development to dismiss state policies and instead state that they will plan and manage for a 50-year sea level rise is negligent to future owners and investors in the property as well as local and state government authorities that may be expected to protect the infrastructure from erosion,” the Department asserts.
“Managed retreat is not an option for this site which is constrained by the presence of Lake Vancouver.”
After being considered by the City’s development committee, the planners’ recommendation of approval, with many conditions, will be considered by the full council and a recommendation of endorsement or refusal passed to the WA Planning Commission.
If the Commission then approves the structure plan, detailed development plans will then need to be considered by a State-convened assessment panel before the Goode Beach resort proceeds.
Photo source: Ahola Planning development report
