Project Philosophy and Key Parameters

Vision for the Development

• World class recreation, residential and tourist development 
• Sustainable community amenity 
• Social and economic benefit to all residents 
• Balance of public, residential and commercial amenities 
• Equitable facility for visitors and residents 
• Social and economic maximisation of land use

The City holds a vision for the Ocean Reef Marina site as a world class recreational, residential and tourism development that encapsulates high levels of environmental sustainability, community amenity and delivers economic growth and social benefit to the residents of the City of Joondalup. The purpose of the vision is to articulate for the record and for historical purposes the intent of the Council in progressing the project, what it is trying to do and why it is trying to do it.

The existing infrastructure at the Ocean Reef Boat Harbour is both outdated and ageing and no longer meets the expectations and needs of present and future generations of City residents or the wider Western Australian community. The site has been recognised as having the potential for development as a major tourism and recreation node for over 30 years.

The proposed facilities envisaged for the Ocean Reef Marina redevelopment provide the community with a state of the art iconic marina facility which caters for the needs of the community and provides a balance of residential, commercial and public amenities that will service the community and attract local and outside visitors into the future. The development design principles seek to ensure that the development does not become an exclusive residential enclave but rather an equitable community based facility where visitor and resident alike, can enjoy a variety of first class amenities and leisure activities.

The City recognises that there is limited opportunity for development nodes along its ocean coast line that provides an interface with the community; therefore any development must maximise land use and built form in order to satisfy this unique opportunity while recognising the environmental integrity of the site.

The project attempts to balance the needs of the community with the need to maintain and preserve the natural environmental. The development concepts are sensitive and compatible with the existing environment and provide an interface between sustainable development and the natural marine and terrestrial environments.

Environmental strategy

• Best practice management techniques 
• Coastal processes 
• Flora/fauna 
• Geotechnical 
• Public amenity 
• Innovation in green design and sustainability 
• Conservation, maintenance and management of the Bush Forever site

The project concept plan has been developed using best practice management techniques that remain sympathetic to the natural environmental.

The City acknowledges the environmental constraints identified in the preliminary reports prepared to date. These include:

• Coastal hydrology 
• Flora/fauna 
• Geotechnical 
• Public amenity issues

By utilising up-to-date best practice urban design, architectural and construction techniques the Ocean Reef Marina can be a showcase for innovation in green design. The City is committed to achieving a sustainable green development that sets a benchmark for major developments within Western Australia.

Bush Forever

The site has been accepted by the City and the State Government as a strategic tourism and development node; however the City also accepts the existence of Bush Forever within the development area. In consultation with the relevant government and environmental agencies the development concepts seek to enhance and safeguard the integrity of the Bush Forever site, taking into account the constraints existing to development within this type of natural environment.

The City’s consultants have prepared preliminary reports on the site and further detailed analysis will be undertaken.

Governance and Fiscal responsibility

• High ethical standards 
• Probity, legal and legislative compliance 
• Accurate and timely expediency in the preparation and submission of required documentation for the approval of a Structure Plan 
• Due diligence in the engagement of professional consultants to undertake reports/studies 
• Transparent, accountable decision making process

The City of Joondalup owns 27 hectares of valuable coastal land. The City also has a vesting interest over an additional 21 (approximately) hectares of Crown Land on the site. As such any development on the site needs to take into account the present and future benefits for City residents and the greater Western Australian population.

The City is clear on its role in the development of a structure plan and that it does not have the capacity to bring the development to fruition without a joint venture in association and agreement with the State Government or third parties. The action to date is in accord with the 2004 funding arrangements to develop a Structure Plan.

The City recognises that during the development process high ethical standards, probity, legal and legislative compliance and transparency are of vital importance. To ensure that this objective is achieved, the City proposes to undertake:

• Probity audit review and monitoring 
• Internal audit review and monitoring 
• Development of comprehensive and robust Business Cases and Financial Analysis
• Extensive risk management assessment and monitoring 
• Legal compliance via legal consultation

The City also understands that its endorsement of a draft concept plan is only the first step in a complex approval process and that, in liaison with other key stakeholders, it should facilitate negotiations with the relevant statutory bodies to expedite the project to Structure Plan stage. It will then determine, in association with the State Government, how the project can be best progressed to construction stage. The exact mechanism to achieve this will need to be the subject of discussion and negotiations with the State Government. Timely delivery is seen as a major issue given that the Ocean Reef Marina development has been discussed by various Councils for more than 30 years.

Through its appointment of suitably qualified consultants and peer review panels in the areas of planning and urban design, the environment, financing, engineering and infrastructure, the City is ensuring its responsibility that the development meets community, legislative and sustainability expectations is met.

Liaison Protocol

• Successful, sustainable partnerships with State Government departments and agencies 
• Transparent, co-operative communication and consultation with all relevant agencies 
• Transparent, co-operative communication and consultation with City of Joondalup residents and the wider community 
• Development of a Memorandum of Understanding with the State Government

It is clearly understood by the City that the development of the project is in partnership with the Department of Planning and Infrastructure and the Ministries of Planning, Transport and Lands. Liaison at all stages with the State Government is of paramount importance in bringing the development to completion.

Through the instigation of the Ocean Reef Marina Steering Committee comprising representatives from the Department of Planning and Infrastructure, Water Corporation and Landcorp, the City maintains a strong liaison protocol with the key State Government stakeholders. Preliminary representation has been made to the Ministers for Transport, Lands and Planning and the Environmental Protection Authority, in an effort to ensure there is transparent, co-operative communication and consultation.

The strategic value and implicit importance of community consultation in the development of the Ocean Reef Marina has been addressed, with a community consultation plan being prepared and implemented which included the formation of the Ocean Reef Marina Community Reference Group. The Community Reference Group includes representatives from both stakeholder clubs (Whitfords Volunteer Sea Rescue Group and the Ocean Reef Sea Sports Club). Any proposed redevelopment of their existing facility will seek to maintain and enhance the important role these clubs play within the community.

Recognising the importance of providing further opportunities for community consultation and comment through both formal and informal processes, the City has prepared a communications plan to ensure the community is kept fully informed of the status of the project as it proceeds forward. This plan has been developed in accordance with the City’s Public Participation Policy and Strategy.

Commerciality

• Best practice financial management 
• Maintaining public ownership in accordance with statutory requirements 
• Consideration of the establishment of a joint venture partnership

The design principles shall attempt to meet the need for world class amenities and be of suitable high commercial value. By adopting advanced best practice building philosophies (eg green building concepts, energy efficiency, sustainability etc), the Ocean Reef Marina has the potential to be an iconic City landmark the development of which may provide the City with future financial and social benefits for its residents for generations to come. Fundamental to achieving this is the generation of income streams through parking regimes, fees and charges for rights to occupy and other income generating opportunities.

The City acknowledges the importance of maintaining public ownership of this strategically valuable City site and of generating a commercial revenue stream from the site. As such the right to occupy is proposed to be granted predominantly on a leasehold basis, determined by the land assembly and in accordance with Crown Land development constraints.

However as the City is also mindful that the project provide a return on investment; the establishment of a joint venture partnership (either public, private or a combination) and best practice financial management is seen as an integral component of the achievement of this outcome.

A Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) would need to be negotiated between the State Government and the City to ensure the roles and responsibilities of the parties involved in implementing the project are clear and defined. The MOU would need to set out the broad scope of the project and detail the implementation phases, costs and revenue sharing as well as ongoing management and maintenance arrangements. The MOU would serve as a statement of the intention between the State and City (being the principal landowners) and it is not intended to be legally binding on either party.