- Justin Langer

 

 

Smiths Point will offer a diverse range of accommodation for residents and the tourism sector and has met all requirements of the Shire of Busselton’s Town Planning Scheme. The development is well below the permitted height, density and building footprint allowed.

 

Situated low on the hill and set back from the beach, the new Smiths Point village will be dominated by the backdrop of the national park and planned conservation areas to the west. This position, combined with the relatively small size of the development site, means Smiths Point will have minimal visual impact on the landscape and won’t break the ridge line, a priority identified through community consultation.

 

Thirteen agreed viewing points have been taken into consideration in the planning of Smiths Point, ensuring the spectacular views from areas such as Canal Rocks and the Torpedo Rocks car park are preserved.

 

The land area to be developed for Smiths Point (totaling 21ha) is approximately 55% of that occupied by Yallingup (built area – approx. 38ha). Once complete, the Smiths Beach village will be significantly smaller than the settlements at Gracetown and Prevelly / Gnarabup.

 

Of the 40ha available for development, almost 19ha will be used for public spaces and reserves, supporting the area’s environment and providing buffer zones to the national park while the western headland of the site remains in its natural state.

 

In accordance with the State Government’s Leeuwin-Naturaliste Ridge Statement of Planning Policy, 70% of the development will be dedicated to tourist accommodation and 30% to residential development. Once fully developed, there will be a total of 272 accommodation units and 104 residential homes at Smiths Point.

 

In response to community feedback, we have ensured the proposed height and density of buildings at Smiths Point will be well below the Shire of Busselton’s regulations for the area, and those of the existing settlement.

 

The average density for tourism developments in the South West is R30. The tourism aspects at Smiths Point are proposed at R18, well below the norm for the area and tourism developments in general. The existing short-stay accommodation at Smiths Beach is R40 to R60.
 
The Minister has set a maximum density of R25 for the residential components of the development, but Smiths Point has been designed at densities of less than R20 in order to further ensure Smiths Point is in harmony with its unique environment and the character of other settlements along the Cape to Cape coastline.

 

Also, building materials will be carefully chosen and colours drawn from a natural palette. Materials such as stone, timber, iron and rammed earth will help ensure the development is in keeping with the landscape.

 

The residential area will be a mix of medium density detached and semi-detached homes. Likewise, the tourism sector will be a combination of semi-detached and detached buildings.

 

In addition, there will be a resort hotel, lodge and hostel, as well as a camping ground providing an array of accommodation options that will ensure Smiths Point is accessible to a broad range of visitors irrespective of their budget – another major objective from the outset.

 

The plan also includes a café, restaurant and a multi-purpose community centre, helping to create a vibrant village atmosphere. The new surf life saving centre planned for Smiths Point will make this area safer for locals and visitors.