Rarely a dull moment – South Freo Continental, Planning Scheme Tidy Up, Freo Oval Redevelopment

So, here’s Rarely a Dull Moment for the Ordinary Meeting of Freo Council of 9 October 2024.

Short and sweet agenda this fortnight, and so shall be this write up of it! (It’s also been a very busy month for a few of us at FSN.)

SOUTH FREO CONTINENTAL

Sub title – You Can’t Have Your Shop and Eat It Too.

The Council agenda item was ‘South Terrace, No. 318-320 (Lot 505), South Fremantle – Unauthorised Partial Change of Use from Shop to Restaurant’.

Turns out South Freo Continental’s relatively recent pizza restaurant component has been partially operating without the City’s approval.

To make matters more complicated, the operation varies local planning requirements for:
• Land Use (Restaurant, an “A” use in this area)
• Car and bicycle parking (62 bay shortfall)
• Alterations and additions (deck area).

Site Photograph taken from Council Report Attachments

Convoluted background to this. A 50 year history! According to the officer report, the business first sought approval for a deck addition to cater for the restaurant, but the restaurant itself has expanded into a part of the building that was previously only allowed to be a shop. In a nutshell.

After hearing from the landowner and a regular speaker at Council meetings, the City unanimously resolved to go against the officer recommendation by instead electing to grant conditional approval. This was given the site’s longstanding history and the existing vibrant character of South Fremantle which South Freo Continental inarguably contributes to. Also important to note it already abuts the 532 bus route which helps to offset parking reliance.

They’ll be required to provide five Class 3 bicycle racks on the adjacent verge, or nearby.

POLICY UPDATE – LOCAL AMD NEIGHBOURHOOD CENTRES

This Local Planning Policy is proposed to be updated to maintain consistency with the City’s Local Planning Scheme No.4.

The officer report tells us that “the definitions of these two centre types in LPS4 were opposite to those in SPP 4.2 – State Planning Policy 4.2 – Activity Centres – which was creating complexity and confusion when dealing with matters concerning them. To remedy this issue, LPS4 was amended in 2021 to correct this nomenclature.”

Sadly, they neglected to update their local planning policy suite at the time. Well, better late than never? I’m sure correcting this at last will be a relief to many confused planners.

This involves updating the following policies to swap “Local Centre” for “Neighbourhood Centre” and vice versa as applicable:
• LPP 1.7 – Development Exempt from Approval Under Local Planning Scheme No. 4
• LPP 3.5 – Local Planning Area 5 – Beaconsfield
• LPP 3.8 – Local Planning Area 8 – O’Connor
• LPP 3.9 – Local Planning Area 9 – Samson
• LPP 3.14 – Wray Avenue Precinct • LPP 3.17 – Hilton Local Centre (South Street, Hilton) 38/59 • LPP 3.18 – Beaconsfield and White Gum Valley Local Centre Areas
• D.G.F29 – Suffolk to South Streets Local Area
• D.G.N4 – Stirling Highway, Tydeman Road, Jackson and Pearse Streets Local Area
• D.G.N6 – Northbank Development Guidelines.

These amendments have not been advertised to the public as the City determined that they are minor in nature.

Accordingly, Council swiftly resolved that it:
1. Adopts the following amendments to local planning policies:
(a) LPP 1.7 – Development Exempt from Approval Under Local Planning Scheme No. 4 – two text references to “Local Centre” amended to “Neighbourhood Centre”
(b) LPP 3.5 – Local Planning Area 5 – Beaconsfield – one text reference to “Local Centre” amended to “Neighbourhood Centre”
(c) LPP 3.8 – Local Planning Area 8 – O’Connor – two text references to “Local Centre” amended to “Neighbourhood Centre”
(d) LPP 3.9 – Local Planning Area 9 – Samson – one text reference to “Neighbourhood Centre” amended to “Local Centre”
(e) LPP 3.14 – Wray Avenue Precinct – three text references to “Local Centre” amended to “Neighbourhood Centre”, and the precinct map updated to reflect the current Mixed Use, Neighbourhood Centre, and Residential zonings under Local Planning Scheme No. 4
(f) LPP 3.17 – Hilton Local Centre (South Street, Hilton) – title amended to “Hilton Neighbourhood Centre (South Street, Hilton)”
(g) LPP 3.18 – Beaconsfield and White Gum Valley Local Centre Areas – title amended to “Beaconsfield and White Gum Valley Neighbourhood Centre Areas”, and two text references, a map title, and two map legends amended from “Local Centre” to “Neighbourhood Centre”
(h) D.G.F29 – Suffolk to South Street Local Area – six text references to “Local Centre” amended to “Neighbourhood Centre”
(i) D.G.N4 – Stirling Highway, Tydeman Road, Jackson and Pearse Streets Local Area – four text references to “Local Centre” amended to “Neighbourhood Centre”
(j) D.G.N6 – Northbank Development Guidelines – one text reference to “Local Centre” amended to “Neighbourhood Centre”.
2. Notes that the amendments referred to in part 1 of this resolution are minor in nature, as they deal exclusively with an administrative matter, and that public advertising is not required.
3. Requests that City officers make the necessary amendments to the affected policies referred to in part 1 of this resolution and publish the amended policies on the City’s website.

FREMANTLE OVAL REDEVELOPMENT MASTERPLAN

Here’s a big one.

It’s time for the final round (pun intended) of public consultation on this particular item. This is now live for comment, so make sure you let the City know what you think of it.

The City has been working since April 2023 with several stakeholders, including the South Fremantle Football Club (SFFC), Fremantle Football Club (FFC) and the Western Australian Football Commission (WAFC) to realise the new vision for Fremantle Oval.

Excerpt from Council Report attachments

There is a long history to Freo Oval, being one of Australia’s oldest that has been used for approximately 130 years, that I won’t dive into this time, but the officer report also acknowledges that this is a “complex and ambitious” project which will eventually provide “240 new affordable and social dwellings at a future stage, improved access for the precinct, [and] recognition of heritage assets around the oval.”

Key aims of the project include:
• “A football facility with a capacity of 10,000 – 15,000 patrons (Consistent with AFL’s ‘Category 4’ and the State Government’s ‘Tier 2’ designation)
• An accessible and inclusive community green space in the city centre, capable of hosting major events
• A visitor experience that is community friendly and encourages a ‘day out’ in Fremantle
• Upgrades and conservation of significant heritage places such as the Victoria Pavilion
• Support for a revitalised Fremantle Hospital and improved visitor experience for Fremantle Prison
• Recognition of Aboriginal people in their contribution to sport at Fremantle Oval and as Traditional Owners of the site
• Support the oval’s current tenants SEDA College and the Stephen Michael Foundation, and attract other education providers
• New, safe pedestrian connections through the precinct
• Development opportunities for new uses that leverage the precinct’s city centre location and complement the precinct’s heritage, sport, health and tourism functions.”

The next steps are to prepare an extended business case including “revenue opportunities and potential long-term management and operational arrangements.”

And with that, Council resolved to:
1. Endorse the Fremantle Oval Masterplan (draft), as per attachment 1 with this agenda, for public advertising for community comment and to conclude the consultation process.
2. Request the Fremantle Oval Masterplan be brought back for final consideration and adoption at the completion of the advertising.
3. Authorise the use of the Fremantle Oval Masterplan (draft), as per attachment 1 with this agenda, for use in promotion of the project and seeking funding support with State and Federal Government prior to its final adoption.
4. Notes the following process that the project will go through before the final built-form and land uses of the development(s) at the southern end of the Oval are finalised:
• Seek community input
• Seek funding, then develop detailed plans
• Undertake Heritage Impact Assessment (HIA) for Prison
• Lodge DA and HIA for determination
• Seek community feedback on DA plans
• Refer to State Heritage Office for assessment
• Refer to Federal Government for heritage assessment
• Adjust plans in response to DA feedback
• Obtain final approvals, based on above process

IN OTHER NEWS,

The City resolved to support the renewal of the Hungerford Fremantle Press Unpublished Manuscript Prize Sponsorship Awards. Good show. Or good read, to be more specific.

Good night and see you next time!

Report by Gayle O’Leary

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