Council rejects proposal to develop commercial holiday home in Jurien Bay neighbourhood

The Shire of Dandaragan has knocked back an application to turn a Jurien Bay home into holiday accommodation after a public outcry.

According to the proposal, the three-bedroom and two-bathroom property would be used to house up to eight guests for no more than three months per booking.

The Cormorant Court home and surrounds fall under residential zoning, meaning council approval would be required for the property to be used as part of a commercial venture.

Several submissions were made in objection to the proposal, with one respondent claiming their “peaceful lifestyle is being eroded” by the prevalence of short-stay holiday accommodation in their neighbourhood.

“They may be on holiday but there are (other) people who live in this street and work as well as children who need to go to school. Parties in the middle of the night and through the week are not ideal for those permanent locals,” they wrote.

Another respondent said they objected to the proposal as there was already a “massive amount of holiday homes in town”, making it harder for residents to find permanent accommodation.

This suggestion was not considered a valid town planning consideration, but planning officer Rory Mackay said it was accepted that the addition of the holiday home could “negatively affect the amenity of nearby permanent residents”.

It was also found housing up to eight guests in the home would not meet sleeping airspace requirements due to the limited number of rooms deemed appropriate for use as sleeping rooms.

Council ultimately rejected the proposal, but advised the applicant it would support a revised holiday house development application that complied with relevant planning and health guidelines.