Albany council backs Emu Point shellfish aquaculture site expansion

Harvest Road’s $9 million shellfish aquaculture vision for the Albany coast has cleared one of its final hurdles after the City of Albany council approved to expand its sublease at Emu Point. Councillors voted in support of an officer’s recommendation to grant a bigger sublease to Harvest Road on Tuesday night after a public comment period. Three submissions were received, voicing concerns the expanded area would lead to a lack of parking and accessibility and the impact on wildlife, an officer’s report revealed. The report stated a bigger lease area was required to facilitate improvements to the sea wall, and increase operating capacity. Public access to the Department of Transport jetty would be retained. “The City has developed a concept plan to add additional parking bays to the reserve and improve existing vehicle movements,” the report said. “Continued public access to the mud flats will be formalised by a pathway to the rear of the aquaculture facility.” Development applications for Stage 1 and 2 of the aquaculture base have already secured council support. The sublease approval comes more than a year after council approved the original commercial lease to Harvest Road for the 5596sqm piece land previously leased by Ocean Foods International. Harvest Road requested a bigger sublease expanding towards the foreshore and will now sublease an area of 7590sqm for 50 years at a price $50,000 per annum rent. The City will lease the land from the State and sublease the site to Harvest Road. Addressing the council at Tuesday night’s meeting, Harvest Road community engagement manager Jude Tyzack said the scale of Harvest Road’s investment in sustainable shellfish aquaculture was “unprecedented” in WA. Ms Tyzack said Harvest Road planned to transform Albany into an oyster-eating destination. “We see the tourism and culinary investment opportunities that will arise off the back of the shellfish industry here, and we are already working with local venues and chefs to ensure the Akoya is becoming known as an iconic Albany product,” she said. “The extension of the lease at Emu Point is one of the final pieces of the puzzle.”