A planning body has approved a nine-storey apartment tower in the state’s largest café strip, believed to be the first major development in the area for decades.
The Statutory Planning Committee gave the green light to Cemerlang Corporation to build a mixed-use development at 930 Albany Highway in East Victoria Park.
Estimated to cost $22 million, the development comprises 45 dwellings and 350 square metres of commercial space across nine levels.
Lateral Planning, on behalf of Cemerlang Corporation, submitted the application in the state government’s Significant Development Assessment Unit pathway.
“This part of Albany Highway has been underutilised for some time,” Lateral Planning director Alan Stewart said at the SPC meeting.
“I couldn’t find any record of a previous development in 60 years.”
Town of Victoria Park development services manager Robert Cruickshank said the local government was opposed to the project, which exceeds the height limits in a draft precinct structure plan (PSP) by one storey.
“Every primary control within the proposed PSP is proposed to be varied,” he said.
“There’s nothing that’s been said in the state design review panel’s comments or the Department of Planning Lands and Heritage officers’ comments [that] indicate a reply that there are any elements of design excellence, which would warrant the discretion be granted.
“In my professional opinion, there are no cogent reasons to depart from the imminent new planning framework to the significant extent proposed.”
Despite the concerns, the SPC approved the development.
WA Planning Commission chair and SPC member Emma Cole acknowledged the level of community involvement during the consultation period, with 62 per cent of responses in support of the project.
Cemerlang Corporation is owned by Eric Grossman and Dwi Gray, according to Australian Securities and Investments Commission documents.
The company bought the Albany Highway site for $2 million in 2024, RP data shows.
