Key Dates

This project remains a high priority for the City and since the information sessions held in February this year, the project has been progressed with the Department of Planning, Lands and Heritage (DPLH). DPLH have now completed their statutory advertising for the proposed land excision and the City has recently provided responses to all submissions received during this period. The next steps will be for the proposal to be considered by the Minister for Lands and if approved, to be presented to Parliament.  

DoL Planning and Heritage period of statutory advertising for the excising of a parcel of Class A Foreshore Reserve on the Dunsborough Foreshore closes 30 days after opening.

Please note that this is a State Government submission process and all dates and process relating to the submission period should be verified through the Department. To make a submission or to find out more about the submission process contact Rachel.nelson@dplh.wa.gov.au or telephone (08) direct (08) 9791 0898.

The City of Busselton held two information sessions at the Multi-Purpose Room (East) in the Naturaliste Community Centre for those interested in finding out more about the Dunsborough Foreshore Cafe Development and in re-visiting the concept designs submitted by the proprietor, Margaret River Hospitality Group (MRHG). 

• Thursday 20 February 4:00pm – 5:00pm
• Friday 21 February 1:30pm – 2:30pm

At the Council meeting on 27 June, the Council endorsed the draft concept designs and delegated authority to the CEO to progress the proposal with the proponent, Margaret River Hospitality Group Pty Ltd and statutory land processes (excision of land from A-class Reserve) with the Department of Lands. Click attached link for the minutes to the Council meeting including the agenda report for the Dunsborough Foreshore Café proposal:

https://busselton.infocouncil.biz/Open/2018/06/OC_27062018_MIN_693_WEB.htm

Revised proposal submitted to Council briefing on 21 March 2018 which included:

·    Lease area (200m2) consisting of:

• commercial space - kitchen/kiosk (50m2), dining space (80m2) and al-fresco (70m2)

·    Licensed public deck area 100m2;

·    Public amenity area to (123m2) consisting of:

• community circle area (67m2), outdoor showers (20m2) and ablutions (36m2) 

·    Toilet facilities to be a shared responsibility

·    Additional car parking area to be determined with no clearing of vegetation (formalisation of existing car park line marking to be addressed) 

·    Realignment / relocation of the cycle/footpath – up to 100m in length

·    Existing public toilet block to be converted to store and leased to proponent

·    Café/kiosk offering including breakfast, lunch & afternoon tea

·    Other details

• Opening hours reduced to day trade only 
• 12 ‘Business type’ Functions each year 
• No weddings, 21^st or 18^th birthday parties

As a result of the briefing, the hours of use were increased to 8pm and that the number of ‘’business type” events be increased to 24 per year. 

Results of the community consultation (undertaken in September and October) were presented at a Council briefing where Council requested Officers to work with MRHG regarding functions (weddings) as a key component of their business operations, as well as concerns regarding parking and removal of vegetation.  

Council endorsed inviting of community comment on the revised design concept, prior to the progression of State and Local Government statutory processes relating to property disposition. Community consultation was undertaken in September and October 2017 including meetings with Dunsborough and Districts Progress Association, DYCCI, DCALC, Member for Vasse Libby Mettam, residents and community through Community forums held at Dunsborough and Districts Country Club and advertising through local newspapers, social media, the City’s website (YourSay) and letter drops.  

Margaret River Hospitality Group (MRHG) advised the City it would be interested in reviewing the concept and functionality design as previously approved to try and resolve some of the community concerns, in particular visibility of the building from Geographe Bay Road, parking issues and the environmental sustainability of the building.

The revised design concept integrated a commercial development area with new public/community facilities and, while the new design resulted in a larger total building area of 400m2, a commercial area of 200m2 (as originally supported by Council) had been retained.   

Department of Lands (DoL) advertised its intention to amend the purpose of the Reserve and excise out the land for the café/kiosk and invited public comment.  DoL received objections from several of the landowners on Geographe Bay Road and in the vicinity of the proposed site. DoL subsequently advised the City the advertising process it had conducted did not adequately address the statutory requirements. Accordingly, DoL indicated they would need to readvertise.

Officers wrote to the Department of Lands (DoL) advising that MRHG was the preferred proponent and requested the Management Order over the Reserve be amended to reflect a change in purpose from ‘Camping and Recreation’ to 'Recreation and Foreshore Management' and sought power to lease/licence a portion of the Reserve for a period of up to 30 years to facilitate the preferred proponent's proposal.  

DoL advised that due to policy changes, the land would be required to be excised from the Reserve and a head lease between the State of WA and the City, and a sub-lease agreement between the City and the proponent would need to be put in place.

Council resolved to nominate the Margaret River Hospitality Group (MRHG) as the potential future lessee of a portion of the Reserve for the development of a café and kiosk and for staff to negotiate a non-binding Heads of Agreement.

RoI’s closed and the three applicants were invited to submit a more detailed proposal by 20 February 2015.

Council resolved to acknowledge public submissions received on the proposed café/kiosk and to write to the Minister for Lands requesting an amendment to the management order to provide the City with the power to lease. Council also resolved to seek preliminary Registrations of Interest (RoI) from the private sector to lease a portion of the Reserve.

Council resolved, following extensive consultation to conduct further community consultation on a specific proposal  for the development of a café and/or kiosk on the Dunsborough foreshore ‘A Class’ Reserve Number R22965 (the Reserve).

Council supported calling for expressions of Interest for two sites on the Dunsborough foreshore and adopted Design Guidelines for the development of a beach café.

Master plan for the Dunsborough Foreshore Concept Plan was endorsed by Council.

The need for a waterfront café / restaurant was identified as part of master planning for redevelopment of the Dunsborough foreshore.