Some councillors move to revoke glamping proposal

Anita McInnes

SOME Wanneroo councillors want the city to revoke a decision made earlier this month to approve a glamping tent proposal for the old Quinns Rocks caravan park site.

A motion to revoke the decision was signed by councillors Chris Baker, Helen Berry, Sonet Coetzee, Jacqui Huntley, Vinh Nguyen and Bronwyn Smith.

Before Cr Baker’s death on August 4 the council consisted of 14 members, including the Mayor Linda Aitken, who used her casting vote to approve the glamping proposal when the vote was 7-7.

The motion to revoke a council decision, which requires the signature of a minimum of one-third of councillors, was given to the chief executive office on August 1 the same day the glamping proposal put forward by Eco Tourism was approved at a special council meeting.

Signatures to the motion to revoke the decision were North ward Cr Chris Baker, Central-West ward Cr Helen Berry, North ward Cr Sonet Coetzee, Central-East ward Cr Jacqui Huntley, South-West ward Cr Vinh Nguyen and North-East ward Cr Bronwyn Smith.

The six councillors said they wanted to revoke the earlier decision as it did not accord with the clear wishes of the community who did not support the development proposal of Eco Tourism or any other entity, but who clearly supported the alternative development of the subject land for the purposes of family friendly public open space parkland, which was truly open to the public, tourist friendly and having all of the usual modern amenities befitting a safe, unique, world class patrolled beach beachfront location, including but not limited to barbecues, playgrounds, picnic and shaded areas, park bench seats, a modern toilet come shower block, additional car parking and allowing for a future suitable expansion of the adjoining Quinns Mindarie Surf Life Saving Club as well as the incorporation of an area for food and coffee vans and community entertainment.

In recent times whenever the council discusses plans for the former caravan park site many community members attend with special meetings going for hours while they register their opposition to the proposal.

There have also been some submissions supporting the proposal but they are in the minority.

The motion to revoke the decision is due to be presented at the city’s ordinary council meeting on Tuesday, August 15.

The officer’s report said administration did not agree with the reasons provided for the motion to revoke the council resolution.

The report said information on the city’s community engagement process was incorporated in the administration report for the item, supplemented by a report from the city’s engagement consultant.

The report and attachments included details of the engagement responses from the Central-West ward and the wider City of Wanneroo (with outcomes recorded for the two collection methods, via an open, self-selected sample and a market research sample), together with details on the community petition.

“Council’s resolution on (the item) referred to the community response in paragraph 1, with community perspectives further informing the actions in subsequent paragraphs of the resolution,’’ the report said.

An officer’s report in June said the proposal by proponent Russell Percival from Buckland Estate allowed for deluxe glamping tents, family tents, outpost tents, a licensed café open to the public for breakfast and lunch, a lawn area and an event space for community events, business meetings and family celebrations with the proposed development estimated to be worth $7.5 million to $8m.