By Jessica Shackleton, 8 April, 2011
Cockburn City Council has refused a three-storey development planned for South Beach Promenade.
At its March meeting, the council confirmed the apartment block would not go ahead after objections from local residents.
A total of 22 residents objected to the development, saying the three-storey apartment block would be built in a beachfront residential area.
Carole Reeve-Fowkes, a councillor for Cockburn, supported the residents along with the Mayor of Fremantle, Brad Pettit.
“Never before have there been 22 individual objections to one project,” Ms Reeve-Fowkes said.
“I knew something wasn’t right then.”
The resident objections were concerned about a proposed underground car park and increasing traffic density in the area.
Mr. Pettit visited the area and agreed with residents that the laneway behind the South Beach Promenade units was too small to accommodate any more cars.
Nola Goodchild, one of the original residents of the South Beach Village, spoke at the council meeting, arguing the need for the area to stay residential rather than a built up, concrete jungle.
“Developers come in, make their money, and leave,” Ms. Goodchild said.
“That’s not what this area is about, they want investors not residents.”
Mr. and Ms. Goodchild chose to buy the unit at the end of the promenade on the basis that the empty block next to them, was intended for another unit.
The lot was sold to a developer who was hired by Base Developments WA on the condition that he could oversee the developments and provide the block of apartments.
A report by Base Developments WA for Cockburn Council said the apartments are an opportunity to increase affordable and diverse accommodation in the South Beach Village.
After rejecting the proposal, Cockburn City Council has received praise from the South Beach residents.
“The Council was very supportive; the Mayor actually listened to what we had to say, he was brilliant,” Ms. Goodchild said.
Base Developments WA has declined to comment.
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