"Premier Colin Barnett vows to take control of Cottesloe redevelopment"

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A must read for all Cottesloe home owners and beach lovers:

 PREMIER Colin Barnett has vowed to end the "20-year stalemate" on development at Cottesloe beach, saying his government would become "actively and directly" involved in its future.   

Cottesloe Council last night approved a new $15 million concept plan - which The Sunday Times revealed on the weekend - to redevelop the beachfront to include a suspended glass walkway, ocean pool and more grassed terraces.

But Mr Barnett today attacked the council for “frustrating development along Marine Tce for years - years and years”, and signalled that local councillors could soon be bypassed in controlling the area’s planning processes.

“I am really tired of the council,” the premier said. “I am tired of 20 years of frustration and delay, so the State Government is going to get actively and directly involved and resolve a 20-year stalemate,”
While admitting he had not seen the new plans approved by the council, Mr Barnett said his views on the beachfront were known to the WA Planning Commission who was now reviewing the area’s development regulations.

Mr Barnett, who is the Cottesloe MP, said he wanted to see more cafés, bars and restaurants along Marine Pde.

To spur development, a height limit of eight storeys for the Ocean Beach Hotel site and five storeys, three at the street level and the other two set-back, for the remainder of the street was “appropriate”, he said.

“The State Government will simply bring down a planning ruling, then things more forward. Even with that, I don’t expect to see rapid change. But let’s just get on with it and improve it,” he said.
Mr Barnett added: “It is almost the prime piece of coastal land in Western Australia, and yet it’s got a run-down pub that could look a lot better and a run-down backpackers’ accommodation on it - is that a good look for our most famous beach? I don’t think so.”

Despite insisting the State Government would act on Cottesloe’s beachfront, Mr Barnett said he would not pay for the redevelopment, saying: “I am not going to pay to build properties for people”.

Labor leader Mark McGowan said that despite Mr Barnett’s new claims of “active” involvement, the premier had still not delivered on new planning laws for the site or encouraged development.

“What concerns me is that Mr Barnett has been the Member of Parliament for Cottesloe for 22 years of inactivity,” Mr McGowan said. “He needs to take some responsibility here.

“For 22 years, there has been a decline, I think, in much of the public amenity around Cottesloe, why hasn’t he done something about it?”

Cottesloe Mayor Kevin Morgan described the premier's claims as "unfair", saying that the council had worked hard to resolve planning problems along the beach.

"It has simply been the State Government navel gazing as to what should be done here," he said.

"To turn around and say this delay necessitates them stepping in to do all of this by way of central planning is pulling themselves up by their own bootstraps.

This information was gathered from:
http://www.perthnow.com.au/business/premier-colin-barnett-vows-to-take-control-of-cottesloe-redevelopment/story-e6frg2ru-1226284294791

DEB BRADY
0405 570 903