Dunsborough Foreshore Cafe - Project Update, Information & State Govt Public Submission Period

Project Update - October 2020 

In June of this year the City of Busselton provided responses to all of the objections received during the Department of Planning, Lands and Heritage (DPLH) statutory advertising process undertaken in March 2020. Following receipt of the City’s written responses, DPLH asked the City of Busselton to consider further engaging with residents and stakeholders who had submitted objections.

The City elected to invite residents and stakeholders who had submitted an objection during DPLH advertising process to meet with City of Busselton Officers, including representatives including from Planning and Development Services, Engineering and Works Services and Economic Development to discuss their objections and concerns relating to the proposal. The City contacted ten residents / stakeholders, of which three accepted and the meetings were held in August and September 2020. City Officers considered the meetings to be beneficial in that there was constructive discussion and the City was able to provide further accurate information that was generally well received.

The City provided a summary of the meetings to DPLH and in early September formally requested DPLH to progress the Dunsborough Foreshore Café proposal amendment of A Class Reserve 22965, including the excision of 831sqm for the purposes of recreation and public facilities and a cafe/kiosk to the Minister for Lands for consideration to be laid before each House of Parliament.

The City has been advised by DPLH that they are progressing the proposal with the Minister for Lands. On If approved by the Minister for Lands, the proposal is then laid before both Houses of Parliament for a duration of 14 parliamentary sitting days. In accordance with the Land Administration Act (1997), Section 43(1), as long as a notice of a resolution disallowing the proposal is not given in either House of Parliament within 14 sitting days of that House, after the proposal was laid before it, the proposal may be implemented by order through the DPLH.

Project Update - August 2020

The Dunsborough Foreshore Café 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.

The proposed development, which has been the subject of several community consultation initiatives, will have a 301sqm footprint for commercial purposes which includes re-purposing the existing public toilets of 101sqm into cafe storage space. The other 530sqm, by far the biggest portion of the excised reserve, will be developed for the community and will provide a great new range of public assets including new ablutions and beach showers, extended green open space, bike stations and improved pathways as well as picnic and decked areas for general recreational use. The rental income from the developer will go towards maintaining the Dunsborough Foreshore and the new community assets provided.

The project vision is to expand the offerings at the Dunsborough Foreshore by providing additional options for food and beverage while ensuring the area’s relaxed, family friendly feel is preserved. It should also be noted that the development will enhance the visitor experience bringing financial returns to the local economy and providing employment opportunities for local people both during construction and as an ongoing concern.

Some Useful History

Talk of a café and kiosk on the Dunsborough Foreshore has been in the mix for nearly a decade during which time the City has consulted with stakeholders and gained feedback on potential concept designs. In August 2017, following a thorough review of the project scope, design, functionality and location of the proposed development, Council invited public comments on a concept developed by Margaret River Hospitality Group (MRHG) who were endorsed as the ‘preferred proponent’ for the development. Further changes to the design were made based on the community feedback - most notably the inclusion of more community amenities including parking and greater emphasis on environmental sustainability in both the construction methods and ongoing operations.

With consultation and concept design work for the development completed, the City commenced negotiations with the State Government to progress the excising of the parcel of Class A Reserve upon which the café would be developed. This has been a complicated and lengthy process and more information about this process is provided below in the “What’s Next” section.

About the Proposed Development

The development has been architecturally designed to complement the coastal area and every effort will be taken to reduce the impact on the coastal dunes and to minimise the visual impact – particularly for nearby residents. We are confident that the proposed development will not only provide a welcome resource for visitors and locals, but it will enliven the foreshore and better connect the foreshore to the town centre.

The building concept touches the earth lightly using screw piles with no concrete pads. It is elevated off the ground to protect vegetation and prevent inundation in a major storm event. The development will make use of sustainable energy production with approximately 200 solar panels incorporated into the build. Emphasis will be on the use of renewable construction materials. A pre-fabricated modular construction will be utilised to reduce onsite impact and enable simple decommissioning of the structure at end of life. Importantly, all existing trees will remain with the reintroduction of additional native vegetation.

View the Location of the development here.

View Concept Design here, see other design perspectives in the documents library on the right.

Interested in Finding Out More?

If you would like to talk to someone about the proposed development but cannot attend an information session, please call Jaylene Chambers on 9781 1712.

Additionally please refer to the FAQ section on the right.

What’s Next? - A State Government Public Submission Period

In order for the Dunsborough Foreshore Café development to proceed, the City has requested the State Government to advance the excising of 831sqm of land from Class ‘A’ Reserve 22965 required for the café footprint and expanded open space and public amenities.

The processes to date has been complicated and time consuming and have now progressed to the City requesting the State Government to publicly advertise the proposed area to be excised from the Class ‘A’ reserve. The public submission period has now closed.

For more information on the submission process in relation to this proposed excising of a parcel of Class ‘A’ Reserve, contact Rachel Nelson at the Department of Planning, Lands and Heritage on Rachel.nelson@dplh.wa.gov.au(External link) or telephone (08) 9791 0898

Pending the outcomes of the State Government submission period, the City will work with the proponent to deliver the development as soon as possible.