Council Blamed For Latest Cossack Setback

PLANNING Minister Rita Saffioti says Karratha council plans to reactivate the historic townsite of Cossack had fallen short of State planning policies.

“Specifically, the City failed to demonstrate through the amendment proposal how certain factors such as coastal hazards, protection of environmental and heritage values, servicing requirements and bushfire risk could be adequately managed,” principal policy adviser David McFerran told StreetWise on Tuesday.

“Until such time that the Scheme is amended to delete or replace provisions relating to servicing land in Cossack, development is prohibited under the Scheme. The City has been advised that the WAPC is of the view that there are areas within Cossack that should be further investigated for potential low-impact tourism through a future scheme amendment proposal.”

The minister’s office encouraged the City to work with authorities to explore potential developments which addressed State planning, environmental, heritage and servicing issues, “and the City’s vision for Cossack”.

The City said Amendment 44 was prepared in line with State planning, land and heritage requirements: “The Minister has refused the current proposal based on the need to further demonstrate the impact of costal hazards, protection of the environment, servicing requirements and bushfire risk. The City will continue to work with the Department of Planning, Lands and Heritage to explore how potential development areas can address these requirements.”

The Environmental Protection Authority in February wrote to the City stating, “The EPA considers that the scheme amendment is unlikely to have a significant effect on the environment and does not warrant formal assessment”.

Under Amendment 44, council wants to introduce a new ‘Special Control Area’ to, “facilitate orderly and proper planning of the Cossack townsite, to allow low scale tourism, residential and associated uses”. The purpose of the SCA is to guide land use and development, “permitted in the context of the Cossack Heritage Precinct and coastal erosion and inundation hazard risk”.

The City’s vision promotes the establishment of a range of tourist accommodation options – from a camp ground and caravan park to concealed camp and glamping sites and shack-like cabins.

Ms Saffioti’s office assured the Government is, “committed to genuine collaboration with local governments, state agencies, landowners and community stakeholders to support economic growth and development in regional areas”.

Cossack landowners say the rejection of Amendment 44 shows otherwise.

“How contradictory,” Terry Patterson told StreetWise. “They want tourism here, they open a new road to Tom Price, but not Cossack. If the council has spent years on this, what’s the problem?”

The amendment is available at www.karratha.wa.gov.au.