PERTH City Council is prepared to discard plot ratio when considering development applications.
Council staff had recommended a proposal to demolish 10 residential apartment buildings at 96-104 Terrace Road and 3-8 Burt Way and replace them with two multi-storey residential apartment buildings be refused.
Staff was concerned with the proposal’s noncompliance with the plot ratio and residential density requirements of the Residential Planning Codes.
There were fears it contravened council’s Terrace Road Design Policy adopted earlier this year.
The proposal was rejected despite Councillor Judy McEvoy moving it be approved.
“Plot ratio does not dictate a building’s shape or density. It just controls the floorspace,” Mrs McEvoy said.
She said the plot ratio discrepancy between Terrace Road and Adelaide Terrace needed to be addressed.
On Adelaide Terrace a plot ratio of 4:1 is allowed while only 1.5:1 is allowed on Terrace Road.
Council manager of approval services Peter Monks said the difference was to ensure a graduated building height from the Swan River foreshore, peaking in the CBD centre.
Lord Mayor Peter Nattrass said council’s Terrace Road Design Policy made plot ratio an irrelevant planning tool.
“For as long as I can remember plot ratio has been the tool used to manage the size, shape and bulk of the building,” Dr Nattrass said.
Councillor Lisa Scaffidi said council was sending serious messages to developers.
“We’re flying in the face of our policy,” Mrs Scaffidi said.
“I’m thinking of some serious developers in Perth who could be quite seriously insulted.
“They’ve lost some profit margin on some serious developments to comply with plot ratio.”
