Albany’s giant treehouse to stay, but commercial use refused after robust council debate

A controversial “unauthorised” suburban treehouse has narrowly avoided removal after City of Albany councillors clashed over two alternative motions to decide its future during a robust debate at Tuesday’s council meeting. The 7.4m Zealtopia Treehouse was completed in February on an otherwise vacant lot on Bridges Street and was open to hire for children’s parties, functions and therapy sessions. It is the brainchild of South Coast Nature Play owners James McLean and Amy Galante, who created the four-storey structure to “inspire the inner child in all of us”. The City of Albany said in April the construction and operation of the treehouse had “proceeded without the relevant City of Albany approvals”. After complaints from neighbours, the operation of the treehouse as a private business was put out to public comment by the City, attracting 197 responses, with 186 in support of the venture. After a debate spanning more than one hour and 30 minutes, councillors eventually endorsed an amended City officer’s recommendation 10-1. They voted to grant development approval to the treehouse structure, allowing it to stay on Bridges Street, but prohibit its commercial use. Officers said commercial operation of the treehouse did not satisfy parts of WA’s local planning regulations and would have a “detrimental impact on the existing residential amenity and character”. Councillors voted to add an advice note which will see any proposal for significant future development on the site be subject to a further consideration by council. During the heated debate, councillors Paul Terry and Chris Thomson each raised alternative motions — which were both lost 5-6. Cr Terry was pushing for councillors to grant conditional approval for the treehouse to operate commercially for a 12-month trial before needing further council approval. Agreed on by the proponent, the treehouse would only host four 1.5 hour sessions a week and would have a maximum capacity of 10 people. Cr Terry said he understood the reasoning behind the officer’s recommendations but said council owed it to the community “to try and find a way to make it happen”. Cr Sandie Smith declared the “City of Albany fun police” had struck again after the defeat of Cr Terry’s motion. Cr Thomson’s motion was to refuse approval for the treehouse to operate commercially as it did not satisfy Local Planning Scheme regulations and that it be removed from the site within 90 days. He suggested the City start discussions with the proponent to relocate the existing treehouse to a “mutually agreeable” tree on a City reserve or land where the proponents could “pay a peppercorn rent” and operate the treehouse commercially. Cr Thomson said while he was convinced of the “substantial benefits” of the structure, it did not fit the amenity of the “the oldest neighbourhood in WA.” “We were told earlier it would be prohibitive to move the structure,” he said. “I think leaders in the community tend to operate on the assumption of success and I think we should go for it. “We should talk to the proponent about moving it to an acceptable place.” Cr Terry labelled the motion to remove the treehouse as a “travesty”. While Cr Greg Stocks — who voted in support of the motion to remove the treehouse — said at first glance it seemed harsh but there was an “olive branch” being offered to the proponents. Cr Matt Benson-Lidholm said if a development application for the treehouse had been put to council before it was built it would have been “donged on the head.”