Frenchman Bay tourism development put before City of Albany committee

An updated development plan that would pave the way for tourism development at Frenchman Bay was set to be considered by a City of Albany committee on Wednesday night ahead of the December council meeting. The report prepared for the Development and Infrastructure Services Committee recommended approval of the Local Development Plan No 1 (LDP1) and 31 associated provisions for Lots 1 and 2 on Frenchman Bay Road. The updated plan will supersede the existing LDP1, which the council approved in 2015 to incorporate 25 holiday accommodation units and associated amenities. The new plan would include the development of a 10-12 bedroom “luxury holiday lodge” in the west of lot 2, a restaurant and reception area on the east of lot 1 and 25 one-bedroom chalets as well as eight glamping tent sites between the lodge and restaurant. The City advertised the changes to the plan for public comment over a six-week period starting in May. Of the 27 responses, 13 were in support without objection, eight were in support subject to modification, and six raised objections to the development. The report noted 16 areas of concern from the submissions, which the proponent addressed through further amendments to the modified LDP. The Department of Planning, Lands and Heritage and a Coastal Hazard Risk Management and Adaptation Plan raised concerns about long-term coastal erosion. The department suggested development approval should be limited to a period of “not more than 39 years”. In response, the proponent said the “suggested conditions requiring all the land to be ceded free of cost are not acceptable” as part of the property is located outside the “100-year erosion hazard line”. “The 2061 planning time frame and requirement for monitoring and review of the coastal hazards every five years are acknowledged,” the proponent said. “At such time as the trigger point is impacted by erosion of the shoreline, it is also understood that the managed retreat/removal of development will be initiated and land rehabilitated.” The City has not included the 39-year time frame in its provisions but it will be required to maintain “ongoing public access to the foreshore in perpetuity”. RELATED: Tourism leader’s historic ties to Albany inspires Frenchman Bay purchase The proponent’s response to concerns about the loss of native vegetation and fauna was it had been “proposed to retain significant trees and retain vegetation where possible”. “The footprint of the proposed chalets and vehicular access is less than the previous proposal and there is greater flexibility to retain existing vegetation,” the response said. “A local water management plan will address issues relating to storm water run-off and potential water erosion.” The potential impact on Vancouver Springs resulted in the proponent removing plans for a tennis court, swimming pool and shed from the springs’ setback area. A requirement in the provisions will need surface and groundwater monitoring to be undertaken in accordance with an approved plan prior to any tourist development starting. Another frequently raised concern was bushfire management. The proponent responded to this concern by agreeing to update its bushfire management plan. The report prepared for the City noted the request for an updated BMP had not been forthcoming from the proponent, which had requested that the committee refer the modified LDP to the council without the updated plan. “The BMP in its current form is also not supported and therefore not endorsed by the City, given the number of outstanding matters relating to bushfire management,” the report said. The conclusion of the report states that provisions are recommended to be applied “to keep the application progressing” and to “ensure these unresolved matters are capable of being addressed”. It states the provisions aim for a balanced outcome that results in high-quality tourist accommodation, meets policy needs, responds to the context and constraints and minimises the impact on the environment and heritage while complementing the adjoining beach. The full council will consider the modifications to LDP1 at its meeting on December 13.