Three-Pronged Overhaul for Northern Terminus of WA’s Albany Highway

If approved by the WA Planning Commission after a public consultation period that ends on July 12, the hotel would have studio and single-bedroom rooms, food and beverage outlets, function and meeting rooms, a pool and two ground floor commercial tenancies.

The $38-million hotel is proposed for a 3684sq m site left vacant after four lots were consolidated following the demolition of a car wash and a Suzuki repair shop.

Designed by the DKO architecture firm for the corner of Rathay Street, the inn would have 66 car bays, 20 bicycle racks and two motorcycle bays.

▲ A rendering of Parna Australia’s proposed $38-million hotel.

Meanwhile, the WAPC’s statutory planning committee this week unanimously approved a two-tower residential project by Limnios Projects for a sloping 1095sq m site at 930 Albany Highway, East Victoria Park.

The company, directed by former acting lord mayor of Perth James Limnios, will raise 17 one-bedroom and 28 two-bedroom apartments on the site.

The $22-million project is dubbed Terminus Lane after the minor thoroughfare that runs behind it, which until 1950 was the end of the line for the tram from the city.

The project, which received 97 letters of support and 53 objections, was approved against the wishes of the Town of Victoria Park that thought it was too high and bulky.

Despite moving that the towers be approved, WAPC member Chris Harman, who outside the committee works for Satterley Property Group, said he “struggled” with the development.

“The town’s comments are completely valid and I think if the proposal were eight storeys, would I be more comfortable?,” he said.

“The answer’s probably ‘yes’ and I think the town possibly would be as well.”

▲ Former acting lord mayor of Perth James Limnios has had Terminus Lane approved for Albany Highway at East Victoria Park.

WAPC commissioner Megan Adair, who seconded the motion to approve, also said she “struggled” with the project “primarily because I just don’t like the design”.

Committee and WAPC chair Emma Cole said the hotel would occupy a site that had remained vacant for decades.

“I think the building separation of the towers is good,” she said.

If built as unanimously approved, the nine-storey towers will have four motorcycle bays, room for 35 bicycles and space for 46 cars including 13 in a stacker.

Limnios Group envisages that 10 per cent of the project’s apartments will be affordable housing.

For a 407sq m site 100 metres to the east of the planned hotel, at 944-948 Albany Highway, WA’s Metro Inner Development Assessment Panel last week unanimously approved a $2.5-million revamp of the 1970s-built Franklins Tavern.

At the meeting, panel chair Karen Hyde said she was “comfortable to support this redevelopment”.

“I do note that there were certainly, in terms of the public advertising, not just objections but there was actually some support for this as well, which I think is always important to consider,” she said. 

▲ The revamped Franklins Tavern would include a roof garden overlooking the highway.

The approval allows much of the existing tavern to be demolished, additions to the ground floor, a rooftop bar and a reconfigured car park. Under the proposal, the tavern’s drive-through bottle shop that runs along the highway would be retained but converted from two-way entry to one-way.

Designed by Studio Roam and to be built by Urban Capital Group, the project would have 56 car and 13 bicycle bays.

The 405km-long Albany Highway was developed from the 1830s as a route between WA’s oldest European settlement of Albany, which turns 200 this year, and the Swan River Colony (now known as Perth) that will celebrate its bicentenary in 2029. The highway’s northern terminus is at Victoria Park.