A new community centre to be used by an Islamic community has been approved for the Southern River Business Park despite concerns about parking.
The City of Gosnells council voted at its 24 February meeting to approve the development at Lot 100 Southern River Road, which will become Lots 22 and 23 Tuffin Street.
The two-storey facility will have a floor area of about 1,916 square metres and include 75 car parking bays. The centre will be able to host sporting activities, community meetings and cultural and religious gatherings.
Plans show the building will include a small room for the ritual washing of bodies before burial in accordance with Islamic practices.
The development will have a maximum capacity of 300 people at any one time under conditions imposed by council.
City planning staff had recommended refusing the application due to a shortfall of parking bays. Based on the building’s theoretical capacity under planning regulations, the development would require 288 parking bays, leaving a shortfall of 213.
However, councillors voted against the staff recommendation before unanimously approving the proposal with conditions.
City of Gosnells Mayor Terresa Lynes said the parking calculation was based on the building’s theoretical capacity rather than how the centre is expected to operate.
“The calculated shortfall of 213 bays was based on the building’s theoretical maximum capacity, determined in accordance with the State Government’s Public Buildings Regulations,” she said.
“However, the calculation does not consider the proposed operational use of the facility, which includes sporting and community-based activities.
“Council determined that the parking provision on site is adequate to support the intended use of the facility.”
An Operational Management Plan submitted with the application outlines how attendance will be managed to keep numbers below the 300-person limit.
The plan states the centre will host educational seminars, sporting activities such as badminton and basketball, and social or cultural celebrations linked to the Islamic calendar, including Ramadan and Eid.
Large gatherings of up to 300 people are expected about 12 to 15 times a year, while most events are anticipated to attract between 100 and 150 people.
The plan also states the funeral facility will only be used for ritual washing of bodies before burial and will not operate as a mortuary.
Mayor Lynes said compliance with the Operational Management Plan is a condition of approval.
“If there is sufficient evidence to indicate the Operational Management Plan is not being adhered to, the City may initiate compliance action,” she said.
She said enforcement options could include requiring the facility to close until breaches are rectified, issuing infringement notices or commencing prosecution proceedings.
“The City’s preference is always to work with property owners to achieve compliance before considering formal enforcement measures,” she said.
The site is within the Southern River Precinct 3F Structure Plan area and is zoned Industrial Development under the City’s Local Planning Scheme.
Community purpose developments are not automatically permitted in the zone but may be approved at council’s discretion.
Mayor Lynes said the application was assessed against the planning scheme and relevant local planning policies.
“The development complied with all applicable requirements, with the exception of vehicle parking,” she said.
“The City’s Local Planning Policy relating to parking provides council with discretion to vary parking requirements where justified. Council determined that such discretion was appropriate in this case.”
The mayor said each development application would continue to be assessed on its own merits.
