A Shire of Change

The upgrade of Tuart Drive is well underway with the roundabout at the intersection of Tuart and Layman Road nearing completion.

The upgrade has also included a reduction in speed to 100 km/h for the entire route. The upgrade will also include;

• Upgrading the surface of the road by correcting numerous depressions to improve the road surface
• Alterations to line marking on the road to achieve a wider sealed shoulder to encourage a reduction in speed and increased safe use of the road by cyclists
• Weed removal and planting of local bush, groundcovers and understorey along the road verge.

The upgrade of Tuart Drive was made possible with a $600,000 grant from the Federal Government as part of the AusLink Program. The Shire contributed $300,000 towards the project.

A large mixed use development in the centre of Busselton will go to Council on Wednesday. The development that border Harris Street, Brown Street and Peel Terrace features 21 office units and 24 three bedroom apartments. The development has been referred to Council because of its large size, close proximity to the CBD and because it is more than 10 metres in height.

The development known as Northbank is three stories tall and includes 132 carparking bays. The development was recently put out for public comment, with some objections noted. The objections were mainly concerned with heighy and carparking.

The officer report recommends that the Council approve the development, though, has place a considerable number of conditions on the approval.

The Shire has extended the period for public submissions on the Smiths Beach Development Guide Plan by another two weeks. Submissions will now be accepted until November 5.

The submission period has been extended due to some information not being readily available until some weeks into the original advertising period. The Council has also "resolved that the western edge of the proposed development be demarcated, in a minimum of 3, places by the erection of scaffold towers set at the proposed height of development for the period of the advertising."

So far approximately 1,800 submissions have been submitted to the Shire.

A proposal for 34 grouped dwellings ranging from two to three stories will be put to council when it next sits on 12 September.

The proposal which according to Planning Officer Helen Buckley meets all the relevant planning framework is being put to council due to it being a significant development and because it has received a number of objections.

The development is located on Lot 1 (previously Lots 450 and 451) Spinnaker Boulevard, Geographe.

Stayed tuned to The Geo for updates.