CHRIS THOMSON
The state government has refused an application by the City of Wanneroo to approve its non-conforming and controversial aluminium boardwalk at Yanchep.
A meeting of the WA Planning Commission’s powerful Statutory Planning Committee yesterday rejected the city’s bid to keep its sprawling seaside structure.
WAPC chairman Gary Prattley said the application was refused because the existing structure visually intruded on the coastal landscape.
“The committee also considered that the development was inconsistent with the amenity of the surrounding area and approving the existing structure would have set an undesirable precedent for similar structures within foreshore reserves,” Mr Prattley said.
“While the existing Yanchep boardwalk was not deemed worthy of retrospective approval, in making this determination the committee provided an advice note indicating they may be prepared to consider a new application which seeks to modify the structure.”
In April 2008, the city received WAPC approval to build a boardwalk in the Yanchep coastal foreshore reserve to link Compass Circle and Foreshore Vista.
However, the alignment of the walkway as built differed from that approved by the WAPC.
The boardwalk has been subject to vociferous protests by members of the Yanchep and wider Wanneroo communities.
The City of Wanneroo has estimated the boardwalk will cost $300,000 to $400,000 to remove.
Boo hooo whinge whinge whinge. The only thing devaluing property near the structure are the people whom wish to draw this out. Get over it and put efforts into more important issues.
There are very few people who seem to demand that the community gets what those few people want rather than what the community needs.
I do not believe it will cost anywhere near $300,000 to remove the boardwalk. The City of Wanneroo like to make it sound too expensive to remove. It is sturdier than the Walpole Tree Top Walk and that is 40 metres high, the boardwalk is 6 metres high and is a shiny eyesore that has devalued all the houses and blocks behind it. It is so wrong and does not blend in with the dunes and we do not want it to set a precedent and it will if not removed.