Dunsborough hotel gets go ahead

Dunsborough is set to get its first hotel, following the green light from planning authorities for a $9.5 million plan to bring a three-storey accommodation facility to the town.

A Regional Joint Development Assessment Panel today voted in support of a 54-room hotel at 17, 19 and 21 Dunn Bay Road.

The City of Busselton’s planning officers had recommended the revised project for refusal on the grounds that it fell short of the car parking requirements.

The development was approved on the condition that the project’s proponents Belingbak pay $44,000 to the City of Busselton to account for a four car bay shortfall.

An earlier iteration of the project was approved in May this year, comprising four storeys and 33 rooms.

However, the JDAP imposed a condition that the applicant reconsider the height, bulk and scale of the development, which resulted in a new application being submitted.

Belingbak founding director Matthew Rawlinson said the area was lacking affordable accommodation options, which this hotel would provide.

“This project and this hotel is very different to a traditional residential development, this is something we’ll own long term and will be a community asset,” he said.

“There’s a two-tier market in the South West, ultra luxury and Airbnb, this aims to sit in middle market, as a more approachable affordable product.”

The proposal includes a provision for 41 car bays, which it calculated to be a four bay shortfall, factoring in seven new car bays on Dunn Bay Road.

Urbis, who lodged the submission on Belingbak's behalf, were questioned on the cost increase of the project, which was valued at $8 million in May. 

The town planning organisation said the proposal included more hotel rooms and covered a greater floor area than the previous design. 

An earlier iteration of the project. Image: Studio Derickx (architects). 

City of Busselton Phill Cronin commended the applicants on changes to building’s height, its inclusion of trees and open space, but said the parking shortfall could cause issues.

“Any reduction in parking is going to add pressure to other local businesses and residents’ parking,” he said.

“To say they could park on the roads isn’t viable. Cost of development and cost of land has gone up considerably, $11,000 (per bay) would not get you a lot of space.

“At the end of the day the ratepayers are going to be paying the extra cost of these bays.”

In December last year, a $16 million apartment building at 24 Dunn Bay Road was approved, nine months on from its initial rejection due to widespread community opposition.