$20 million Treendale ‘home and lifestyle’ development approved by Joint Development Assessment Panel

A $20 million “home and lifestyle” centre proposed for the heart of Treendale has been cleared for development after passing a major hurdle. Royal Oak Capital’s plans for a “Home and Lifestyle Centre” to be built on The Promenade opposite Treendale Shopping Centre were approved 4-1 at a meeting of the Regional Joint Development Assessment Panel on April 14. The Perth-based funds management business’ application was submitted in September last year by Urbanista Town Planning, with plans for 11,180sqm of floor space across up to 18 tenants. The development has proposed to introduce alfresco dining areas to buildings facing The Promenade to “activate” the street frontage and will have about 330 parking bays. Speaking for the approval, presiding member Tony Arias said although the development did make some departures from the Treendale structure plan, that plan was only a guiding document. “I think there are some beneficial outcomes based on the design,” he said. Mr Arias noted the plans did deviate from a traditional “main-street” design, but was still supportive of the proposal. “In my mind, there are very few main street designs that are working well,” he said. Deputy presiding member Kanella Hope said she was “happy to support” the proposal, while specialist member Justin Page said it was an “appropriate” development. Harvey Shire councillor Craig Carbone, who represented the council alongside Shire president Paul Gillett, opposed the plans. “I realise a lot of work has gone into it, but as somebody who shops regularly at this location, I don’t think the shop frontage completes the other side of The Promenade and the feel we are trying to get through the Treendale main precinct,” he said. Some of Mr Carbone’s other issues included the access point to the complex being located on The Promenade and the proposed laneway behind the development for trucks. A number of conditions put forward by Ms Hope at the meeting were approved, including requirements for blank walls to be “treated” with murals or other colourful additions and for more canopy trees to be planted in the carpark. In her presentation to the panel, Urbanista Town Planning director Bianca Sandri said the development would create a more “inviting atmosphere” compared to the Treendale district centre structure plan, which sets out how the estate’s retail and commercial precinct should develop. “It is a far superior approach to the structure plan … and it creates cross use across The Promenade,” she said. A public consultation period conducted by the Shire of Harvey earlier this year received only six submissions — four for and two against. It did request a retail needs assessment from the developer prior to meeting, which found there was “an existing undersupply of large format retail floorspace within the main (Australind) trade area,” which is expected to increase over the next 13 years. While no tenants have been named for the development, the large retail format includes automotive, furniture, homewares, electrical and hardware stores.