RESIDENTS who don’t want a retail development built just south of King Neptune and want it relocated have the support of their Member of Parliament while the developer involved says there has been comprehensive and lengthy consultation on the town centre redevelopment.
Micheal Bower from Blueport Development Management said the town centre redevelopment had been the subject of extensive planning and public consultation for more than 10 years.
“Most recently, in 2017 after two years of planning and community consultation a 1ha public open space incorporating King Neptune was approved at council,’’ he said.
“The road adjacent to this POS has recently been constructed and plans are advancing for additional residential development to the south of the proposed shopping centre.’’
Butler MLA John Quigley has expressed his support for the Two Rocks residents who want the proposed shopping complex relocated to an alternative location.
Since December residents have been campaigning against the proposal, which will eventually go before the Metro Outer joint development assessment panel (JDAP).
The proposal is for a Woolworths supermarket, specialty retail, liquor outlet and café at 10 Enterprise Ave – it also includes an additional shop-office (595sqm) on the corner of Lisford Ave and Azzurra St.
Mr Quigley said he understood the decisions about the proposed shopping complex were governed by planning processes and policies and the desire of developers to utilise their land in the most productive way, but the site was of immense value to the community and to the environment.
“The site in question is currently before the Heritage Council of WA for classing as a heritage site,’’ he said.
“It holds a special place in local history as the site of the old Atlantis Marine Park, as a place where statues created by local artists reside and has fantastic value to the local environment due to its well-established vegetation which has properties which help protect the local dune system.’’
The proposal has been informed by early heritage advice which concludes that the form and scale is sympathetic to the existing shopping precinct and landscape, with appropriate linkages to the King Neptune sculpture to ensure it retains its landmark qualities, according to the development application.He said most importantly to the proponents, residents and local family businesses recognised that as Two Rocks grew, it would need expanded infrastructure and retail options to be able to cope with demand.
“Residents and indeed myself hope the site can become home to something more attractive to tourism so as to complement Two Rocks rather than to detract from it.
“It is felt that there are more suitable sites for a shopping centre development so I hope it may be considered both by the proponents and by planning authorities that this development may be better suited to alternative sites.
“We know that Two Rocks is growing and that it will need the services in the future and Woolworths has deemed that time to be now, we just hope that Woolworths also understands that there are better sites closer to the future town centre which would more than cater for a supermarket.”
Two Rocks resident Allan Shuttleton said residents were quite happy to meet with and work with developers.
Mr Shuttleton said residents were not in favour of an urban-type spread of back-to-back houses in the area but wanted a tourist-village style spread in keeping with King Neptune and the Two Rocks marina.
He said developer Adrian Fini had made statements in the past that he cared for the environment and history of the area so he wanted to know if Mr Fini could be sympathetic to the views of local people and change the proposal.
The Metro Outer JDAP has given the City of Wanneroo a four-week extension to submit its responsible authority report, which is now due on Monday, February 28.
