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Riverside Dr
Perth, WA
Australia

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More than sport

Saga of the Slips: Part one

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The long process to garner approvals to repair and maintain the WARC deck has begun. The primary approvals required to repair and maintain the deck will come from the Swan River Trust and the Metropolitan Redevelopment Authority. These two organisations need to simultaneously approve any development in our patch of water.

Fortunately the MRA and SRT had been working together on approvals for Lot 351 very recently, so know each other quite well and the paths of communication are already open.

Primary dual approval: Swan River Trust

This is how we gathered information on the Swan River Trust:

  • Garton Smith\Owen: This is the law firm that worked for the Department of Transport writing leases during the 1990s. They no longer do this. They told me to talk to Department of Transport's jetties department.
  • Department of Transport - Jetties: Told me our jetty licence number is SR76, (interestingly, not written on our lease anywhere). As we are a club/NFP, our licence amendment fee may be be different and as a result I could not determine which (if any) of the forms online for modifying a jetty necessarily apply. http://www.transport.wa.gov.au/imarine/jetty-licences.asp
  • Marine and Harbors said: McGees (who we’ve dealt with in the past) should be our first port of call, as they're the property manager for DOT leases.
  • McGees told me this sounded like a “repair and maintain” application, which could be executed within our current riverbed lease. This means it should be able to be done via permit under “Part 5”, which we would get from the Swan River Trust. We do need to drive some new piles which may mean there needs to be a variation to the jetty licence, however the work is within our existing riverbed lease.
  • To do this, I need to email the Swan River Trust. We expect they will write back requesting a copy of our plans, so this action has been delayed slightly.

Primary dual approval: Metropolitan Redevelopment Authority

  • The MRA has been involved in the Lot 351 approval process and worked with our feedback. So we already have a relationship with them.
  • We will need to lodge a development application (DA) with the MRA that will also need to go to the SRT.
  • A DA “pack” is being sent to WARC shortly so help start this approvals process.
  • They told us dealing with heritage sooner rather than later is a good idea.

Heritage

  • Our heritage building number is 2090.
  • They said the SRT and MRA will both refer our planning application and licence amendments to heritage for review anyway.
  • HOWEVER, the process can be made smoother if we deal with heritage earlier rather than later. As there is a moderate change to the size of the deck and a likely change to the materials, this will need to go through heritage.
  • Their ideal is replacing “like with like”. I explained that wasn’t really an option considering the size of modern boats and danger it poses to rowers. It will be critical that the Building Maintenance Committee keeps records of all options considered, as well as the reasons they are variously dismissed.
  • Heritage sponsorship is not open to us, as we are an NGO. This might seem counter-intuitive, however heritage funding is only available for organisations that do not qualify for City of Perth/DSR/Lotterywest funding. That said, if we are ruled out of any funding for any reason, that makes heritage available to us.

Secondary approvals: City of Perth

  • The COP said we fall under the Metropolitan Redevelopment Authority and therefore do not have to liaise with the COP over this in terms of planning.

Aboriginal Affairs:

  • It is likely our DA will go to the Department of Aboriginal Affairs for review. If the SRT grants this as a Part 5 permit based on not exceeding our riverbed lease, will not need a Section 18 from DIA. S18s were required for the Lucky Shag extension and Lot 351.  http://www.daa.wa.gov.au/en/Section-18-Applications/

These are the MRA application forms:

For further information, email president@warowingclub.org

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