Draft Scheme Amendment No. 63 – Preston Street Neighbourhood Centre

Journalist's enquiry: I am seeking comment from the City on a proposed development at the IGA/Karalee Tavern site on Preston Street in Como.

QUESTIONS

1. Has Scheme Amendment 63 on Preston Street been given the green light?
2. What will be constructed at this location?
3. What feedback have you received from the public concerning this project? Are majority in favour or against?
4. From my understanding only those within a 150m radius of the proposed development are being kept informed on the project…why is this?
5. A number of residents who live outside of this radius feel they too should be kept informed as the high rise would affect their view..does the City disagree?
6. Is this project likely to be delayed given the current situation with Covid-19? 

Please attribute the response to City of South Perth Mayor, Greg Milner.

Has Scheme Amendment 63 on Preston Street been given the green light?
Draft Scheme Amendment No. 63 – Preston Street Neighbourhood Centre is still in draft format. It has not been given the green light.

Public submissions were invited on the draft between 16 January and 16 March 2020. 
Feedback is now being analysed and a feedback report will be presented to Council for consideration at a future Council meeting, the date for which is yet to be confirmed.

The report presented to Council will detail the outcomes of the public consultation. This report will also advise Council on all relevant elements of the amendment and make a recommendation as to whether the amendment should be supported, not supported or modified. 

What will be constructed at this location?

The Draft Scheme Amendment No- 63 proposed the following:

• Recoding of Site ‘R’ (broadly the ‘Como Centre’) to allow for re-development of the site up to a maximum height of 29 metres (8 storeys)
• Recoding of Site ‘S’ (broadly the land around the Cygnet Theatre) to allow for re-development of the site up to a maximum height of up to 47 metres (13 storeys), subject to specific development criteria relating to setbacks, public benefits and solar access
• Increase the maximum building height limit for ‘Other Sites’ from 10.5 metres to 14 metres (generally 4 storeys)
• Introduce requirements for Site ‘R’ and Site ‘S’ to make provision for/or payment towards upgrading of the public realm along Preston Street and the conservation of the Cygnet Theatre building
• Additional permitted land uses (such as apartments, shops and offices) specific to Site ‘R’ and Site ‘S’ and modifications to parking requirements.

A Scheme amendment does not specify what is to be constructed at a location. What will be constructed at any location within the Scheme Amendment area is determined under a Development Application, which is a separate process and subject to its own public advertising process.

What feedback have you received from the public concerning this project? Are majority in favour or against? 

The formal public consultation resulted in over 270 detailed submissions. Feedback is still being analysed.

From my understanding only those within a 150m radius of the proposed development are being kept informed on the project…why is this?

This is not correct. 

Consistent with the City’s policy P301 – Community Engagement on Planning Proposals, over 1,200 notices were sent out to people within 150 metres of the amendment site and also to surrounding street blocks. The letterbox drop was conducted in addition to a full communications plan incorporating a number of additional communications channels to ensure that the widest section of the community was informed about the project and the consultation period. Other communications issued included:

• Public notices in the Southern Gazette on 16 January 2020 and 6 February 2020
• eNewsletters sent on January 15 and 11 March 2020 to 8,000 recipients
• Five Facebook posts with a combined post reach of at least 8,900 people
• Articles in full-page advertisement on 30 January and 3 March 2020 in the Southern Gazette
• The placement of three signs at the amendment sites
• Three community drop-in sessions including a session on Preston Street, attended by approximately 140 people in total. 

A number of residents who live outside of this radius feel they too should be kept informed as the high rise would affect their view. Does the City disagree?

The City has provided opportunity via the methods set out above for all members of the community to provide their feedback on this Scheme Amendment. The formal public consultation resulted in over 270 detailed submissions.

I am also advised that the proposal to consider changes to the Preston Street area commenced as part of the ‘Preston Street Revival’ project initiated by Australian Property Collective in 2018. According to the ‘Preston Street Place Blueprint’ prepared and submitted as part of the proposed amendment, the Preston Street Revival engagement process attracted 104 submissions and over 60 attendees to a ‘Place Visioning’ workshop and over 40 attendees to a ‘Vision and Design’ workshop.  This process was not undertaken by the City.

Is this project likely to be delayed given the current situation with Covid-19? 

It is anticipated that the Scheme Amendment feedback report will be considered by Council later in the year. There has been no delay.