A $14.9 million mining machinery workshop on a 3.5-hectare vacant lot in the Gap Ridge industrial estate in Karratha has been given the green light.
A $14.9 million mining machinery workshop on a 3.5-hectare vacant lot in the Gap Ridge industrial estate in Karratha has been given the green light.
The Regional Joint Development Assessment Panel members unanimously approved Metso Outotec's proposal at its meeting this morning.
The metals processing technology company has proposed to build a 5,000 square metre workshop, paint/blast booths, a clean room, a two-storey office, and light stores with receival and dispatch counter for delivery vehicles at the corner of Exploration Drive and Bedrock Turn.
The workshop includes 16 service bays and clearways for loading or unloading by forklifts.
Metso Outotec fabricate, repair and refurbish mining machinery while providing other mining-related services.
The City of Karratha supported Metso Outotec's application, with designs by Meyer Shircore architects, with city planning staff recommending approval in the responsible authority report.
At the meeting, the city's planning services manager Jerom Hurley said the city was supportive of developments providing services locally to the mining industry.
"There are no issues that the city would like to raise, the city is a pro-development council," he said.
"We're very supportive of developments like this coming to the Pilbara, to the City of Karratha."
The Department of Fire and Emergency Services is against the proposal, claiming the subject site was classified "Bushfire Prone" and the applicant would need to prepare a bushfire management plan.
However, the responsible authority report said DFES' concerns did not hold up against this particular proposal.
"Our focus here in terms of risk is really on cyclones, that’s our primary concern," Mr Hurley said.
"We appreciate that bushfire is a risk that need to be considered."
The subject site is about 9km from the Karratha City Centre.
The Western Australian Planning Commission approved a subdivision of the lot in January, which reduced the subject site from 5.3 hectares to 3.5 hectares.
“The subdivision will provide Metso Outotec with a land parcel of a size that better suits its needs,” the report said.
“Metso Outotec has a contract of sale with the subdivider DevelopmentWA to purchase proposed (new lot).”
