PROPOSED DEVELOPMENT AT 341 BEENYUP ROAD, BANJUP

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1 PROPOSED DEVELOPMENT AT 341 BEENYUP ROAD, BANJUP Submission by Banjup Residents Group (Inc) 1 Background 1.1 Sale and Subdivision of 341 Beenyup Road The 7 hectare property is on the corner of Beenyup and Coffey Roads. It was sold in November 2013 to Mr James Tan of Applecross. Subsequently, the WA Planning Commission approved its subdivision into three 2 hectare or so lots. 1.2 Recent History a. Banjup residents became aware of unusual developments at 341 Beenyup Road when a 500 metre long expensive grey brick and ironwork fence was erected along the roadside perimeters of the whole property. b. The brick and ironwork fence has received Planning approval. The 3 metres inside the fence line will be asphalted, again with council approval, to act a firebreak. c. 20 or more sea containers were delivered and stored on the property, in contravention of City of Cockburn policies. By order of the council, they have since been removed. d. Banjup residents then saw that Chinese Pavilions had been erected on the property near to the existing dwelling. The City of Cockburn directed that the pavilions be removed, which they now have. Apparently, the pavilions were erected only to check that all of the parts were present and fitted together after their importation from China. e. Residents then saw the land being extensively cleared of native vegetation. The City has directed that the land outside of the proposed building envelopes must be revegetated, which has yet to occur. f. 5,000 tonnes of sand were delivered to the property and piled near the corner of Beenyup and Coffey Roads. Land usage regulations prohibit the stockpiling of sand in Banjup. g. 1,900 bamboo plants in pots were delivered and stored at the property. They were imported by special truck direct from the Queensland grower. The intention was to plant them along the Coffey and Beenyup perimeters of the property to act as a screening from the roads. The City of Cockburn subsequently denied permission for the planting of the bamboos and has insisted on planting of native vegetation only, in accordance with Banjup s status as an environmentally sensitive area. h. Banjup residents then saw what appeared to be power poles being erected through the property. The City of Cockburn has been advised that these were actually poles for CCTV cameras. Apparently, the owner was concerned that the bamboo, once planted, might be stolen and so he wanted to keep them under surveillance. The bamboo plants remain in pots near to the existing house. 1.3 Grand Plans a. Banjup residents understand that Mr Tan had grand plans for the whole property, as evidenced by the delivery of the Chinese Pavilions and of fairground carousel horses among the 20 or so sea containers stored on the property. Banjup residents have been informed that Mr Tan intended to operate a substantial business on the property. 1 of 7 BRG 341 Beenyup Planning application

2 b. The grand plans have now been abandoned after discussions with the City of Cockburn. 1.4 Compliance with Planning Regulations a. Banjup residents understand that the only approval given in respect of the property was for its subdivision into 3 lots. All work undertaken over the past few months has been without the approval of the City of Cockburn. b. Concerned Banjup residents queried the work being performed with the City and the council then issued cease work directions to the owner, although some work did seem to continue. Some retrospective approvals concerned with the fence and firebreak have subsequently been issued by the City. c. It would seem that there have been several alleged breaches of regulations associated with the development of 341 Beenyup Road. The City of Cockburn is currently considering what, if any, prosecutions to bring. 2 Banjup Residents Understanding of the Current Situation 2.1 Development Application a. In April 2015, Mr Tan submitted a development application for a residential dwelling on the 2.4 hectare lot on the corner of Beenyup and Coffey Roads. No development applications have been made for developments on the other two lots. b. On 5 May 2015, the City of Cockburn notified Banjup residents and neighbours of the development application and sought their comments, if any. 2.2 Proposed Dwelling a. Mr Tan intends the dwelling to be his family residence, which will be in Siheyuan style. Wikipedia explains this as a courtyard surrounded by buildings on all four sides see b. The proposed dwelling will occupy almost all of the 55 x 45 metre square building envelope. The 5,000 tonne pile of sand will be used to form the foundation pad for the dwelling. If the plans are not approved, then the City of Cockburn has indicated that they will make an order for the pile of sand to be removed. c. Mr Tan has written to the City of Cockburn asserting that the proposed dwelling will be a home for himself and his immediate family only. 2.3 Plans for the Dwelling a. The proposed dwelling would be of 2 storeys but consist of several buildings connected by covered walkways. There would be 6 bedrooms at the ground level and 4 bedrooms on the upper level. Access to the upper levels would be by 5 staircases and 4 lifts. 2 of 7 BRG 341 Beenyup Planning application

3 b. The buildings of the dwelling would have formal gardens between them, as illustrated in this schematic provided to the City of Cockburn: 3 of 7 BRG 341 Beenyup Planning application

4 c. From the outside, the dwelling would have these elevations: 4 of 7 BRG 341 Beenyup Planning application

5 d. The ground floor would be to this plan: 5 of 7 BRG 341 Beenyup Planning application

6 e. And the upper floor to this plan: 3 Banjup Residents Comments on the Proposed Dwelling 3.1 Single Dwelling or Multiple Dwelling or Hotel? The proposed dwelling is not a single building; in fact there are 9 buildings in the dwelling, with 5 of them for sleeping accommodation. The buildings are each separated by about 2 metres, which is more than conventional houses are on many modern housing estates. It could be that what is being proposed is not a single dwelling but a multiple dwelling. It would not be dissimilar to a villa complex at a Bali hotel. If the water gardens were plunge pools, it would even have a spa. If the proposed dwelling were constructed, the City of Cockburn could find it difficult to differentiate between house residents, house guests, and paying guests. The use of a building in Banjup as a hotel is not envisaged under the WA Planning Commission s Statement of Planning Policy No. 2.3 Jandakot Groundwater Protection Policy. With the development having many of the attributes of a hotel, how could its compliant use as a family residence be assured, both in the short and long terms, especially after a change in ownership? 6 of 7 BRG 341 Beenyup Planning application

7 3.2 No Precedent for Covered Walkways Other building proponents in Banjup have been refused their development applications for covered walkways between the main accommodation and ancillary accommodation. There seems no precedent, then, for 9 buildings to be connected by the walkways as proposed. 3.3 Long Term Outlook for the Dwelling There can be few Siheyuan style houses in Perth and certainly none in Banjup. If Mr Tan decides to move house, as he could do in 8 or 10 years 1, what market will there be for such a property as that proposed? It will certainly be the most expensive house in Banjup, which, for all its attractions, does not have the cachet that several millions of dollars can buy elsewhere. It could well be that the property is left vacant and could fall into disrepair as the half built Taj-on-the-Swan has done recently. Such an outcome would detract from the amenity of Banjup and should be avoided. 3.4 Impact on Water Resources With 10 bedrooms and extensive water gardens in the plans, the dwelling s use of water resources should be carefully considered. Where will rainwater tanks be located? How will domestic effluent be disposed? How much groundwater will be extracted? Banjup residents rely on the City of Cockburn to ensure that the answers to these questions are within planning and usage guidelines. 3.5 Precedent for the Other 2 Blocks If development approval were given for the proposed dwelling, then could 2 more such multiple dwellings be erected on the adjacent 2 blocks owned by Mr Tan? If so, then the City of Cockburn could find it more difficult to assure compliance of all 3 properties with usage restrictions. 4 Conclusion Banjup residents contend that the proposed dwelling, as grand as it may be, is not a single dwelling and its short term and long term usage is not certain. If the property were to be put up for sale, the dwelling is so different, of such high value, and in such a location as to make its sale problematic, leading to the buildings decay and subsequent detrimental effect on the Banjup locality. Even if it were sold, assuring the buildings continued use as a single family residence could be difficult. Banjup residents urge the City of Cockburn to reject the proponent s development application and to encourage him to propose a dwelling that is unambiguously a family home. 1 A 2015 survey by CoreLogic showed that properties in Perth are held for an average 8.2 years 7 of 7 BRG 341 Beenyup Planning application