MEETING OF COUNCIL - Town of Cambridge

COUNCIL MINUTESTUESDAY 26 FEBRUARY 2013Arising from the Development Committee's consideration of this matter, the option to giveconcessions on site area for one aged and dependent persons' dwellings where an existingdwelling was retained, was proposed.This report outlines the outcomes of advertising for Council's consideration whether to adoptthe draft Policy.DETAILS:The Residential Design Codes (Part 6.11.2 Aged or Dependent Persons' Dwellings) specifies arange of development requirements for aged or dependent persons' dwellings including:-• a minimum of five dwellings in any single development;• a maximum plot ratio area of 100sqm for single houses/grouped dwellings and 80sqm formultiple dwellings;• the dwelling is to be occupied by at least one resident who is either disabled, physicallydependent or aged over 55 or their surviving spouse (which is bound by a notification onthe Certificate of Title) and;• specific provisions relating to access, parking spaces and amenity.Subject to meeting the requirements listed above, the minimum site area is able to be reducedby up to a third of the site area which is otherwise required under the R-Codes.In accordance with the provisions under Part 5 of the R-Codes to prepare local planningpolicies, Draft Policy 3.11 - Aged and Dependent Persons' Dwellings proposes to reduce theminimum number of dwellings required in order to receive the concession on site arearequirements from five dwellings to two dwellings. This change will provide greateropportunities for site concessions for aged and dependent persons' dwellings over the Town,as few sites are currently large enough to receive concessions and will provide greater flexibilityto provide smaller sized developments. For instance, the minimum lot size to be able to obtainsite area concessions for two dwellings in Residential R12.5, R20 and R30 areas will be 933sqm, 587sqm and 361sqm respectively (based on Clause 6.1.3 A3 i of the R-Codes).It is noted despite that many residential lots in the Residential R12.5 areas of the Town (Floreatand City Beach) would become entitled to a concession, grouped dwellings (strata titled) arenot permitted under the Town Planning Scheme in these areas. Therefore, subdivision wouldbe required to apply the site area concessions in these locations, which is subject to separateapproval from the Western Australian Planning Commission.The Development Committee at its Meeting on 20 November 2012 raised the option to giveconcessions on the site area for aged and dependent persons' dwellings where there is onlyone such dwelling and where an existing dwelling is retained. This would provide more flexibilityto provide aged and dependent persons' dwellings throughout the Town without demolishingexisting housing and provide more opportunities for aged and dependent persons to live inindependent accommodation on the same site as larger families. In response, the Policy hasbeen amended to allow for this on the basis that the concession on site area will only apply tothe aged or dependent persons' dwelling and not the existing dwelling. A larger lot size will berequired than those lot sizes mentioned above. It is noted that under this scenario, theopportunity to demolish and redevelop the existing dwelling into the future is not necessarilyrestricted.It is noted all other provisions of the Residential Design Codes relating to Aged or DependentPersons' Dwellings remain unchanged under this Policy.H:\CEO\GOV\COUNCIL MINUTES\13 MINUTES\FEBRUARY 2013\B DV.DOCX 107