PLANS for a five-storey hotel across the road from Kings Square suffered a major setback this week.

The landlord of 18-22 Adelaide Street (best known as the home of Mills Records) wants to spend $3.25 million redeveloping the building into short-stay accommodation with retail on the ground floor.

But on Wednesday Fremantle council’s planning committee voted unanimously to defer the application over concerns about height, amenity and setback. Staff had recommended a conditional approval.

Setbacks

Residents from the Woodsons building at the rear of the site were fuming the planned building would only be setback 1.2 metres in places, blocking their light and views.

“The least the developer can do is paint the wall bright green or yellow so I will have a nice view,” quipped resident Peter McLeen.

“I might be able to reach out my window and touch the building soon.”

Cr Hannah Fitzhardinge said the $220 million King Square development was about to go ahead and any five-storey development nearby had to be of the highest standard.

“This sends a clear message that if you want to develop in Kings Square it has to be beautiful, as this is the centrepiece of Fremantle,” she says.

“I’m concerned about the height and the impact on the residents living behind.

“We don’t want people living in the dark.”

Architect Ross McDonald argued his client shouldn’t have to cough up $32,500 for a public artwork, under the city’s per cent per art scheme.

“My client is already planning to spend around $250,000 on heritage works at the site, which will vastly improve the building,” he says.

“We feel it is unfair to have contribute more on top of that.

“We have spent 10 months liaising with council and heritage bodies on this proposal which would be sympathetic to the surroundings and an improvement on what is already there.”

by STEPHEN POLLOCK