Land Use Options: The future of the Melville and Carawatha Primary School sites...

A Business Plan has now been prepared and is released for public comment. The Business Plan proposes that the City of Melville pay for the total cost of acquisition, development and maintenance of Melville Primary School land to protect significant vegetation and some buildings. The acquisition of the subject land holdings will provide much needed public open space, particularly in Melville where there is a significant shortfall. For the Melville site, the option requires Council to purchase 3.8ha public open space from the Education Department.
The Carrawatha site will be put to a range of purposes, including the relocation of the Small Business Incubator from its present location in the old Fremantle Jail. Other purposes, all community focussed are under review.

Background

The Education Department of Western Australia has advised that it will be constructing a new school and ovals on the lower southern portion of the Melville Primary School site (which is presently used for school ovals) abutting Marmion Street. Options to build the new school on higher land to the north have been considered unviable from the Education Department point of view. The balance of the site, approximately 3.8ha, which presently contains existing school buildings and vegetation, needs to recoup to the Education Department approximately $5.5m to pay for the cost of the new school.

The primary school at Carawatha will eventually be closed and a new school will be built on the Willagee Primary School site to serve the entire catchment of Willagee. The Education Department wishes to dispose of the Carawatha school site for urban development.

The City of Melville sought public comment on a number of alternative proposals for provision of public open space (POS) and land use/development for the Carawatha Primary School site in Willagee and the surplus land on the Melville Primary School site in Melville.

Public Comment Result Summary

Some 75% of respondents ranked open space to be very important and indicated retaining vegetation and buildings, having a park within 400 metres of residences, community facilities and biodiversity as more important than the cost of purchasing the land and the need for developing Aged Persons Housing and Aged Care Facilities (Option 4) on the Carawatha School site.

Six-hundred and fifty submissions were received from 4,500 submission forms mailed out to households within an 800m radius of both schools, with a further 1,000 distributed to random households across the City. Of these respondents, 87% indicated support for the acquisition of surplus government land and 73% of respondents supported the acquisition of private land.

Respondents indicated that the funds for purchasing the land should be accrued by a reduction in the Works Programme followed closely by a rate increase of up to $30.

A report (No. P04/3029) titled Melville and Carrawatha Primary Schools – Surplus Lands was adopted by the Ordinary Meeting of Council on 16 March 2004, which granted the Chief Executive Officer delegated authority to negotiate with the Department for Education on the purchase of the subject land at a value to be determined.

The Council resolution at that meeting was as follows:

1.) That the Chief Executive Officer be granted authority to commence negotiations with the Education Department to acquire land at Carrawatha and Melville Primary Schools subject to –

I) Budget and financial constraints, a satisfactory price, and repayment scheme recognising the community purposes; and;

II) Removal of unviable buildings at both sites and;

III) Zoning of the subject land for appropriate uses; and

IV) The necessary statutory procedures including the business plan being prepared, advertised and adopted.

2.) That a further report on potential sites for rationalisation of landholdings be prepared.

The Business Plan Item (from August Ordinary Meeting of Council)

This report has now been prepared and is being advertised for public comment until Tuesday, 5 October 2004. The Business Plan proposes that the City of Melville pay for the total cost of acquisition, development and maintenance of Melville Primary School land to protect significant vegetation and some buildings. The acquisition of the subject land holdings will provide much needed public open space, particularly in Melville where there is a significant shortfall. For the Melville site, the option requires Council to purchase 3.8ha public open space from the Education Department.
The Carrawatha site will be put to a range of purposes, including the relocation of the Small Business Incubator from its present location in the old Fremantle Jail. Other purposes, all community focussed are under review.

Statutory and Legal Implications

Section 3.59 of the Local Government Act 1995 requires a Local Government to give statewide public notice of any major land transaction that is under consideration, the criteria being that the value of the transaction is more, or worth more, than either $500,000 or 10% of the operating expenditure incurred by the Local Government from its municipal fund in the last completed financial year. The Council of the City of Melville is committed to ensure that a Business Plan be developed and advertised, in accordance with the provisions of the Local Government Act 1995, to allow for community comment on the proposal to acquire these properties.

Submissions are invited from the public, which will be considered by the Council of the City of Melville prior to the acquisition of the property being purchased.

Policy Implications

These transactions support the Council’s drive to ensure there is sufficient public open space in the City of Melville. In addition, other important community improvement and development options, can be considered to get maximum advantage from this strategic purchase.

Financial Implications

The amount of $1,500,000 has been provided in the 2004/2005 budget and in the succeeding 4 years to provide progressive budgeting for these transactions within the financial capabilities of Council.

Strategic Implications

This is a major strategic response to the already identified public open space needs of the community and demonstrates the Council of the City of Melville’s commitment to considered and prudent investment in a range of responsibilities.

Ordinary Meeting of Council - 17 August 2004

C04/8011 - Business Plan - Melville And Carrawatha Primary School Lands
OFFICER RECOMMENDATION (8011)

THAT THE BUSINESS PLAN “MAJOR LAND TRANSACTION: ACQUISITION OF THE FORMER MELVILLE AND CARRAWATHA PRIMARY SCHOOLS FOR VARIOUS COMMUNITY PURPOSES” BE ADVERTISED STATE-WIDE IN THE WEST AUSTRALIAN NEWSPAPER, LOCALLY AND ON NOTICEBOARDS SIX (6) WEEKS COMMENCING SATURDAY 21ST AUGUST 2004 AND CLOSING ON TUESDAY 5TH OCTOBER 2004; AND
SUBMISSIONS RECEIVED IN RESPONSE TO THE ADVERTISED BUSINESS PLAN BE SUMMARISED AND REPORTED TO THE COUNCIL PRIOR TO FORMAL ADOPTION.

The Business Plan for Melville and Carrawatha Primary School Lands

Effect on the Provision of Facilities and Services

The acquisition of the subject land holdings will provide much needed public open space, particularly in Melville where there is a significant shortfall. For the Melville site, the option requires Council to purchase 3.8ha public open space from the Education Department.

Carrawatha Primary School
The Carrawatha site will be put to a range of purposes, including the relocation of the Small Business Incubator from its present location in the old Fremantle Jail. Other purposes, all community focussed are under review.

 Effect on Other Persons Providing Facilities and Services in the District

The land is surplus to the Department of Education’s requirements, as alternative schooling facilities are being developed. There will be no impact on the provision of effective schooling in the City of Melville.

Expected Financial Effect on the City

The properties have an estimated value in excess of seven million dollars ($7,000,000). This amount is considerable, and plans to meet the cost include providing for one million five hundred thousand dollars ($1,500,000) for public open space in the Principal Activities Plan for 2004-05 and the same amount for the following four (4) years, totalling seven million five hundred thousand dollars ($7,500,000) over five (5) years.

There are also opportunities to optimise the land use and dispose of certain portions which may be surplus to requirements for community use. Each disposal, if it were so determined would be subject to a relevant consultation process.

Expected Effect on Matters Referred to in the Principal Activity Plan

The costs of these acquisitions are fully defined (as above) in the Principal Activity Plan for 2004-8.

Want to know more? Click here to read the Principal Activies Plan .

Ability of the Transaction to be Managed

The acquisition of these lands for these purposes closely fits completely with the strategic vision of the City of Melville, and suitably qualified staffing resources are readily available to both achieve the acquisition and thereafter manage the continuing assets.
Valuations and advice will be obtained from professional property consultants/valuers as required during the negotiations and the City of Melville will take legal advice as relevant during the process.

Further Information

Further information on this proposed transaction is available by contacting the Special Projects Officer on 9364 0221 during office hours 8.30am to 5.00pm. Education Department has lodged detailed development plans

OPTION 1 – RETAINS ALL SURPLUS NORTHERN PART OF MELVILLE PRIMARY SCHOOL SITE FOR PUBLIC OPEN SPACE

This Option requires Council to purchase 3.8ha public open space from the Education Department.

Summary

·         Public open space – 3.8ha + 2.0ha (school ovals)

·         School – 4.0ha.

·         Total cost of acquisition, development and maintenance - $5.9m.

·         Protects significant vegetation and some buildings.

·         Reduces public open space deficiency.

·         Allows Carawatha Primary School to be dealt with on its own merits.

* For illustration purposes only. Locations, shapes and designs may vary.

OPTION 1 - Features

(1) Cost to Council for acquisition ($5.5m), maintenance ($50,000 /yr) and development of open space ($350,000) = $5.9m.
(2) Return required for Education Department = $5.5m
(3) Cost needs to be balanced against need for open space and facilities in other precincts that have a shortfall in public open space.
(4) Significant contribution toward alleviating an identified 5.8ha deficiency in local open space for this precinct based on 10% standard.
(5) Provides a significant area for future community facilities.
(6) Satisfies identified demand for local open space within 400m walking distance from dwellings in the north west corner of the site.
(7) Ability to protect all existing vegetation, existing playground and any required buildings such as library on site.
(8) Problems with surveillance, safety and security of open space.
(9) Includes additional 2.0ha of school oval for shared use (if required).
(10) Protects all trees where required on-site.
(11) Funding considerations
(i) Rate increase 2.9% over 10 year ($18 average/per residential property); or
(ii) One off rate increase of 20.3% for whole of City of Melville ($126.00 average/per residential property); or
(iii) One off rate increase Melville suburb only - 450% ($2,505.00 average/per residential property); or
(iv) Reduction in Works Program, discount for early payment of rates, and/or use of revenue from commercial landholdings.

Public Open Space Strategy Review

The Council is in the process of reviewing its 1995 Public Open Space (POS) Strategy.

The 1995 Strategy provided a broad analysis of open space provision and need on a ward by ward basis. Demographic analysis relied on the 1991 Census data.

The current review for the City has progressed considering detailed open provision and requirements related to local catchments which are set by barriers such as main roads.and the likes

To date the analysis has considered detailed provision in terms of the State 10% POS standard, accessibility within 400 metres walking distance of residences, and size and function of open space.

Before the draft report, (which will include an implementation policy), is completed for public comment further data and analysis is being sought with respect to demographic trends over the last 3 census periods.

It is expected that a final draft for public comment will be available in new year.

Detailed Plan of the New Melville Primary School