THE future of the former Esplanade Hotel site at Middleton Beach remains in doubt after Albany Mayor Milton Evans met developers last week.
Mr Evans said the five-star hotel, permanent accommodation project proposed by Singaporean developer, WCP Plaza, on the iconic site was going forward, with development applications being updated and plans being fine-tuned.
However, Mr Evans was unable to give a time frame for the start in construction.
He said all he could do was continue encouraging and helping WCP Plaza through the development process.
Mr Evans said it was normal practice for the Mayor and officers to meet with potential developers of major projects.
“I understand the intense community interest in the future of the Esplanade site,” Mr Evans said.
“However, it is also normal practice not to publicly discuss the detail of such private meetings.
“I am as keen as anyone in Albany to see a quality development under way at the Esplanade site.”
On ABC Radio, Mr Evans said the City had to refuse many requests for conventions and meetings in Albany because there was nowhere to hold them.
“We share the anguish and the pain that the community feels because there is nothing worse than having to say to a major group that we haven’t got any space or cannot accommodate people with a large convention.”
Mr Evans said the fundamental issues faced by all developers in progressing past all the constraints and getting approvals meant the hotel project would take longer than the expected two years, event with Council support. WCP Plaza’s development application lapsed last December.
“Until such time that those people officially come to me and say ‘Mayor Evans, this project’s indefinitely on hold’ I have to formally embrace them and be supportive,” he said.
Approval was issued for an 81 bedroom hotel at Council’s December 2006 meeting.
This contained 21 conditions including the provision of 59 car parking bays on Adelaide Terrace and Flinders Parade.
A total of 23 conditions were attached to Council’s decision on February 20, 2007, to grant Planning Scheme Consent for 30 permanent accommodation units behind the Esplanade Hotel on the former Extravaganza Gallery site.
Each apartment is to be two storey, with open living/dining in the lower level and two bedrooms and bathrooms in the upper level, accessed through internal stairs.