❓ Mr. Alban asks about the Guildford Hotel development. Minister Day responds, detailing the approval of planning scheme amendment 121 with modifications, including height restrictions for residential buildings behind the hotel, and the requirement for heritage considerations.
AnsweredQoN 1014Legislative Assembly
QuestionView source ↗
GUILDFORD HOTEL — PLANNING SCHEME AMENDMENT 121
1014. Mr F.A. ALBAN to the
Minister for Planning:
I understand that the next step in the Guildford Hotel
development has been announced. Can the minister please advise the house about
this decision?
1014. Mr F.A. ALBAN to the
Minister for Planning:
I understand that the next step in the Guildford Hotel
development has been announced. Can the minister please advise the house about
this decision?
AnswerView source ↗
I thank the member for the question. I think everybody would
agree that Guildford Hotel is a very significant building that is heritage
listed in a very significant heritage location of the Perth metropolitan area.
Several members interjected.
The SPEAKER :
Finito, please! Member for Girrawheen as well.
Mr J.H.D. DAY :
Just about everybody has been concerned at the amount of time it has taken for
effective action in protecting and maintaining the fabric of the hotel that
remained after the fire in 2008 that caused severe damage. The local community,
and indeed the wider community, has had very understandable concerns about the
delay in restoration and protection occurring, and that certainly very much
includes me. I was pleased when the owners announced last year that they had
secured a hotel operator to assist in funding the restoration and reopening of
the hotel, or at least to provide some certainty about a tenant for the
operation of the hotel. It has been pleasing to see the works get underway, and
significant progress has now been made. The state government, through the
Heritage Council of Western Australia, has provided a grant of $100 000 to
assist in restoring the historic belvedere. The framework is located on the
site and I understand it will soon be in place.
Last week I finalised a decision on
a planning scheme amendment for the site. The owners of the site had submitted
a scheme amendment to the local government, the City of Swan, to allow
residential buildings to be developed on the vacant land behind the hotel,
which was planning scheme amendment 121 of the City of Swan planning scheme 17.
It proposed residential development up to eight storeys, or 25 metres; however,
following public consultation, the City of Swan council resolved to recommend a
height limit of two storeys. The amendment was carefully considered by the
Department of Planning and the Western Australian Planning Commission,
including consideration of public submissions, the City of Swan's resolutions
and advice from the State Heritage Office and the Office of the Government
Architect. Following advice and the recommendation I have received, I have
approved amendment 121 subject to modifications, including the maximum height
of residential building being five storeys, or 17 metres, a base podium up to a
maximum of three storeys and a second tier to a maximum of two storeys set back
from the levels below.
The proposal will be subject to a
development application, which will need to be advertised for public comment.
The development application can be approved only after completion of the
conservation works to the Guildford Hotel and a heritage impact assessment
being undertaken for redevelopment. The proposal will be required to
demonstrate outstanding architectural design and integration with the heritage
precinct, and will be subject to review by an independent panel comprising the
Government Architect, the State Heritage Office and local government. I believe
the outcome is a sound and balanced decision and the desired outcome will be
carefully assessed before any approvals are given. The site's location
in a town centre and in close proximity to the Guildford rail station provides
an opportunity for a modest increase in residential density and diversity. It
is close to public transport and it is consistent with the objectives of Perth
and [email protected] million.
I was pleased to receive a letter
from —
Several members interjected.
The SPEAKER :
Members!
Mr
P.C. Tinley interjected.
The
SPEAKER : Member for Willagee, I call you to order for the third time.
Mrs
M.H. Roberts interjected.
The SPEAKER :
Member for Midland! Quick, please. Thank you.
Mr
J.H.D. DAY : I thought this issue was of some interest to the opposition and
it is certainly relevant to have in the Hansard of the Western Australian Parliament.
Several members interjected.
The SPEAKER : That
is enough!
Mr
J.H.D. DAY : I was pleased to receive a letter from Philip Griffiths, the
president of the Western Australian chapter of the Australian Institute of
Architects. In part, he wrote —
We believe that a five storey limit
with the upper two floors setback to respect the hotel's belvedere is a
sound and balanced amendment, reflecting the views of the broader community and
the need for Guildford to adequately cater for growth and population density.
I welcome the support of the
Australian Institute of Architects. I am sure the eventual outcome will result
in a high-quality design, because we have put effective controls in place in
the planning scheme amendment.
agree that Guildford Hotel is a very significant building that is heritage
listed in a very significant heritage location of the Perth metropolitan area.
Several members interjected.
The SPEAKER :
Finito, please! Member for Girrawheen as well.
Mr J.H.D. DAY :
Just about everybody has been concerned at the amount of time it has taken for
effective action in protecting and maintaining the fabric of the hotel that
remained after the fire in 2008 that caused severe damage. The local community,
and indeed the wider community, has had very understandable concerns about the
delay in restoration and protection occurring, and that certainly very much
includes me. I was pleased when the owners announced last year that they had
secured a hotel operator to assist in funding the restoration and reopening of
the hotel, or at least to provide some certainty about a tenant for the
operation of the hotel. It has been pleasing to see the works get underway, and
significant progress has now been made. The state government, through the
Heritage Council of Western Australia, has provided a grant of $100 000 to
assist in restoring the historic belvedere. The framework is located on the
site and I understand it will soon be in place.
Last week I finalised a decision on
a planning scheme amendment for the site. The owners of the site had submitted
a scheme amendment to the local government, the City of Swan, to allow
residential buildings to be developed on the vacant land behind the hotel,
which was planning scheme amendment 121 of the City of Swan planning scheme 17.
It proposed residential development up to eight storeys, or 25 metres; however,
following public consultation, the City of Swan council resolved to recommend a
height limit of two storeys. The amendment was carefully considered by the
Department of Planning and the Western Australian Planning Commission,
including consideration of public submissions, the City of Swan's resolutions
and advice from the State Heritage Office and the Office of the Government
Architect. Following advice and the recommendation I have received, I have
approved amendment 121 subject to modifications, including the maximum height
of residential building being five storeys, or 17 metres, a base podium up to a
maximum of three storeys and a second tier to a maximum of two storeys set back
from the levels below.
The proposal will be subject to a
development application, which will need to be advertised for public comment.
The development application can be approved only after completion of the
conservation works to the Guildford Hotel and a heritage impact assessment
being undertaken for redevelopment. The proposal will be required to
demonstrate outstanding architectural design and integration with the heritage
precinct, and will be subject to review by an independent panel comprising the
Government Architect, the State Heritage Office and local government. I believe
the outcome is a sound and balanced decision and the desired outcome will be
carefully assessed before any approvals are given. The site's location
in a town centre and in close proximity to the Guildford rail station provides
an opportunity for a modest increase in residential density and diversity. It
is close to public transport and it is consistent with the objectives of Perth
and [email protected] million.
I was pleased to receive a letter
from —
Several members interjected.
The SPEAKER :
Members!
Mr
P.C. Tinley interjected.
The
SPEAKER : Member for Willagee, I call you to order for the third time.
Mrs
M.H. Roberts interjected.
The SPEAKER :
Member for Midland! Quick, please. Thank you.
Mr
J.H.D. DAY : I thought this issue was of some interest to the opposition and
it is certainly relevant to have in the Hansard of the Western Australian Parliament.
Several members interjected.
The SPEAKER : That
is enough!
Mr
J.H.D. DAY : I was pleased to receive a letter from Philip Griffiths, the
president of the Western Australian chapter of the Australian Institute of
Architects. In part, he wrote —
We believe that a five storey limit
with the upper two floors setback to respect the hotel's belvedere is a
sound and balanced amendment, reflecting the views of the broader community and
the need for Guildford to adequately cater for growth and population density.
I welcome the support of the
Australian Institute of Architects. I am sure the eventual outcome will result
in a high-quality design, because we have put effective controls in place in
the planning scheme amendment.
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