FREO FARM came another step closer to fruition this week with a council committee giving it the green light—with conditions.

The plan to turn parts of the old South Fremantle tip site into an urban farm and sustainability education centre won in-principle support for a five (plus five) year lease from the council’s strategic and general services committee Wednesday night.

But the motion called for the organisers to submit a new proposal showing all structures will be lightweight lest they disturb contaminants in the soil. They would also have to engage qualified engineers to look any remedial work that will be needed—and pay for everything.

The project will go before full council in two weeks and Cr Jon Strachan, a supporter, says it’s likely to be a close vote. Crs Andrew Sullivan and Dave Coggin supported it going to council for a vote but expressed some concerns.

The pair was also concerned mayor Brad Pettitt, who’d put forward the motion, hadn’t gathered all the documentation, including an opinion from the WA environment department on the project, before he left for a council-funded trip to Sydney.

But Cr Strachan says the DEC doesn’t appear to be offering much help.

“My understanding with the DEC was they were not in the mood to say no to the project, and not in the mood to say yes, so basically it was up to the council to make the decision.”

by STEVE GRANT