A BOARDWALK along the Yanchep Lagoon foreshore sounds like a great idea unless such a structure could end up 10m from your home.
This is what concerns Capricorn Esp resident Charmane Edwards whose property was bought by her grandparents in 1947.
Ms Edwards said the initial alignment of the proposed boardwalk was shown to be within 10m (even less in parts) of her western boundary and also included a lookout on the northwest corner of her property.
She said it seemed really at odds that the views to the west would be vegetation and sea while the views to the east would be houses.
Her house was built in the 1930s within 1m of her property boundary as back in those days there were no setback requirements.
The City of Wanneroo report presented to the council at its agenda meeting on September 8 did not mention how close the proposed boardwalk could end up to the four residences between the old Yanchep surf club building and Mary Lindsay Homestead.
But neither was there any mention in the report of prioritising amenity for those four property owners.
The officer’s report said in accordance with s. 6 of the Planning and Development Act 2005 (the Act), the things the city under s. 6(2) was required to have due regard to included the orderly and proper planning and the preservation of the amenity, of that locality at that time.
Despite this the city could argue it does not have to have due regard to their amenity because as its correspondence with the Department of Planning, Lands and Heritage (DPLH) outlines the four privately owned rural-zoned lots within the dunes sit outside the Yanchep Lagoon foreshore management plan area.
Similarly included in the Western Australian Planning Commission (WAPC) comments on the proposal are that public ownership and access to the coast should be maintained, including through coastal foreshore reserves where appropriate with freeholding of coastal foreshore land not supported.
Capricorn Esp resident Nicola Bowman said their lots were not part of the foreshore management plan but were completely surrounded by it so it was implausible they were not considered stakeholders.
“Other commercial and community groups either within or adjacent to the foreshore management plan have been included,’’ she said.
“We would expect the same courtesy as we will be subject to years of disruption.’’
In relation to development within the coastal hazard risk area the WAPC said development within that area would be time limited and that lessees within the coastal hazard risk area should be made aware of the coastal hazard risk.
Ms Bowman said the foreshore management plan was based on incomplete data regarding coastal risk.
The latest data shows how stable the beach near the boardwalk is so the foreshore management plan should be updated and the boardwalk relocated to reflect this, says a Capricorn Esp resident. Picture: Anita McInnes“The latest data shows how stable the beach near the boardwalk is,’’ she said.
“So the foreshore management plan should be updated and boardwalk relocated to reflect this.
“Option two of item 4.5 on this agenda shows there will be 8m accretion of the beach – so even more space for a boardwalk at the base of the dune.’’
North ward councillors Sonet Coetzee and Alex Figg, Central ward Cr Jordan Wright, Central East ward Cr Marizane Moore and deputy mayor Paul Miles questioned aspects of the officer’s report.
Cr Figg asked if the cost of the proposed boardwalk included in the implementation plan included pathways and possibly a boardwalk in the lookout section above Orion Café.
Acting chief executive officer Harminder Singh took the question on notice.
Cr Coetzee said clause 1D in an earlier report said no cost estimate until the alignment came back to the council while the current report had a boardwalk cost in it and then questioned how that sat within the resolution.
Mr Singh said at this time the costs were estimates that did not set the confirmation of the alignment of the boardwalk or the type of structure it could be.
Cr Coetzee the item showed $10 million for the boardwalk, the dunes boardwalk and access pathways together.
But when she wanted to know the cost of the Settlement to Homestead boardwalk on its own Mr Singh he would have to take that on notice.
When Cr Moore asked if there were any boardwalks in Perth that were 10m away from residential homes that the city was aware of Mr Singh said they would have to investigate that.
Cr Moore questioned why a boardwalk 10m from a house would be acceptable.
Mr Singh said as he had outlined in the responses to earlier questions that work would be undertaken and then a report would come back to council with all those details.
“Then you should be able to see the cross-sections and the proximity to the properties or otherwise that’ll be shown on those further details,’’ he said.
The motion to go before the council this evening says the Yanchep Lagoon foreshore management plan is a high-level planning guide for the delivery of works within the Yanchep Lagoon precinct and that it is seeking approval to undertake project development and planning works for the projects listed in the report, which will inform the final deliverability of each of these projects subject to the allocation of funds in future budgets.
The three-part motion to go before the council includes a request that administration present a further report to the council addressing each of the conditions in relation to the alignment of boardwalks within the resolution of the March report.
