BUSINESSES wanting to develop in the City of Bunbury are facing long wait times for planning approval to go through council.
This is an issue which Citygate Properties managing director Geoff Prosser faced with a number of developments he has been involved with in the past 18 months.
It took 14 months for the national sporting retailer SportsPower to gain approval to develop in the City of Bunbury, Mr Prosser said.
It took 12 months to develop the $100 million shopping centre at Eaton Fair which opened in November last year.
“I could not have built this in the City of Bunbury in that time frame,” Mr Prosser said.
“The Dardanup shire gives quick approval and businesses can’t afford to wait months for planning approval to go through.”
City of Bunbury Mayor Gary Brennan said the city dealt with the application in the fastest timeframe possible, given the application didn’t conform to the city’s planning scheme.
The application went to a State Administrative Tribunal and was withdrawn in April 2015 and a new application was lodged.
“The new application for planning approval for a change of use was accepted by the City of Bunbury in May 2015 for assessment, after legal advice from the city’s solicitor was obtained due to the previous history of the proposal,” Mr Brennan said.
Dardanup Shire president Mark Chester said Eaton Fair Shopping Centre was doing well and had gained momentum quickly.
Mr Chester said the businesses were meeting the planning approval guidelines and more applications for commercial enterprises were rolling in.
“We do what we can to make the planning approval as easy as possible and guide businesses though that process,” Mr Chester said.
“The stores are creating local employment – people can do their grocery shopping and the 24 hour Kmart is also attractive.”
Mr Prosser said the tenants that had interest in the Bunbury CBD were now choosing Eaton Fair because of the success it was gaining.
SportsPower are located at Eaton Fair Shopping Centre and will also be located on Sandridge Road now the application was approved by council on Tuesday, September 29.
