Hotel interest for Middleton

Hotel developers are lining up to show interest in building a hotel at the Middleton Beach foreshore, according to Albany MLA Peter Watson.

However, before the State Government-owned site can be developed for a hotel as part of the Middleton Beach Activity Centre, the City of Albany needs to construct a seawall to protect the site from rising sea levels and beach erosion.

The City has a funding application for the $11 million seawall before the Federal Government’s Building Better Regions funding scheme and, if successful, will invest $1 million of its own money in the project.

Mr Watson said if the City brought the funding, there were parties very interested in developing the site.

“There is not going to be any problem there, so we’re just waiting to see what happens with the wall first — that needs to be built before any developments,” he said.

“There are people interested.

“People are lining up to go from here.”

The first stage of the long-awaited redevelopment could begin within weeks with the realignment of Flinders Parade.

LandCorp regional general manager Stuart Nahajski has said the first stage of the project will be the realignment of Flinders Parade and the roundabout with Marine Drive.

Mr Nahajski said tendering for the civil and road works would be out within weeks.

“The road realignment affects the area between the intersection with Barnett Street and Adelaide Crescent,” he said.

“Subject to the outcomes of the tender process, works are expected to commence in mid-2017.”

The realignment drastically alters the current intersection, pushing the main roundabout further west, allowing for a hotel development to the north-west of Three Anchors restaurant.

“Once the realignment has been completed, traffic will be directed to the newly realigned Flinders Parade to access Adelaide Crescent,” Mr Nahajski said.

“The original Flinders Parade alignment will be disconnected from Adelaide Crescent, but retained temporarily to preserve parking near the foreshore and the Three Anchors restaurant until new parking areas are provided nearby as part of the precinct’s ongoing redevelopment.”

He said work would be scheduled in winter, to reduce disruption in the summer period, with nearby residents and businesses advised.