Town of Cambridge turns on towers development at Ocean Village Shopping Centre site

A $200 million mixed-use development, including an apartment tower up to 22 storeys tall at the Ocean Village Shopping Centre in City Beach, has failed to win support from the Town of Cambridge. The application from Planning Solutions on behalf of property owner Blackburne Property Group also includes a 10-storey and three-storey building to create 247 dwellings, 6480sqm of commercial floor space and 507 residential bays across 1.28ha. It would feature eight food and beverage outlets and a half-line supermarket, mostly contained in a three-storey podium connecting the two residential towers. The three-storey building will be used for cafes and a wellness centre that will seek to emulate the exclusive health clubs of Europe. Permitted businesses at the site include cafes/restaurants, pharmacies, takeaway food outlets, liquor stores, taverns and small bars. But the Cambridge council voted unanimously at its September 17 meeting to oppose the development to applause from the public gallery. The WA Planning Commission will have the final say if the project goes ahead or not. In its application, Planning Solutions said the proposal had been designed to reflect the area’s ”prevailing seaside garden suburb character.” All the existing buildings and structures at the centre — which was built in the 1970s — would be removed to make way for the development. “All buildings (at the centre) are in varying states of disrepair, with many buildings being in average or poor condition and approaching the end of their economic life,” Planning Solutions’ application said. “The development will create a lasting contribution to the City Beach locality, with a high quality and crafted precinct setting the benchmark for design and sustainability excellence in the locality. “The use of warm tones, sharp white framing, natural concrete finishes, aluminium screens/louvers, and wood panelling gently complement the City Beach architectural identity, albeit in a contemporary manner, consistent with the evolving character of the locality.” But town staff said the proposal was a “material and meaningful departure” from council and State planning policies as it would be too tall and not fit in the surrounding residential area. “The bulk, the scale and the height is inconsistent with the surrounding area,” Cr Xavier Carr said at the meeting. “The community doesn’t support it. The community supports zoning of the height up to six to eight storeys but this has gone far beyond that. “It’s not in keeping with the local area … it’s time to bring it back to what’s outlined in the local planning scheme strategy.” Cr Kate Barlow said allowing Blackburne to build the high-rise development would be unfair to neighbouring residents. “Many residents surrounding this area have invested in building contemporary homes … who have abided by our planning strategies,” she said. “So why should these residents who have complied with the Town of Cambridge’s planning strategy be disadvantaged by these tower blocks?” The council decided in June buildings on the site should not be more than six storeys tall after community consultation found there was a “clear preference” for mid-rise development. A council report said reducing the commercial floor space would enable the maximum building height to be reduced as less parking would be required. “It is evident that the proposed commercial floor space, and resultant provision of non-residential car bays, is excessive for the site,” it said. “It is considered that a development on the site could become a landmark for the locality, but achieving a landmark development must be done in a way that is sensitive to the surrounding built form it will sit within. “A building height of 22 storeys will result in the development being a landmark in a negative sense.” Developer Paul Blackburne said last month the development would help address the housing crisis and create new amenities, with 70 per cent of the ground level accessible to the public. He anticipated there would be objections to the height but said there were no height restrictions on the site. “I think people are really starting to understand that taller, slender buildings allow more tree coverage at ground level,” he said at the time. “You can build something short and ugly, or you can go higher with the same number of apartments, which opens up the site, preserves the trees and lets in much more daylight.” Last year the town decided to sell the two carparks next to the site to Blackburne Property Group.