FORTY-five High Wycombe residents have presented a petition to the City of Kalamunda against the development of a commercial kitchen in Jacaranda Springs.
The petition was presented to the ordinary council meeting on September 26, in which councillors voted unanimously to note the petition, and the officers response to concerns raised in it.
The petition listed numerous reasons against the development, such as the potential smell from cooking, an increase in vermin to the area, the noise of the exhaust fans running, frequent heavy vehicle deliveries on the street, a lack of adequate parking for staff and residents and that a commercial kitchen does not belong in a residential area.
City of Kalamunda officer comments responding to the concerns state the building is zoned ‘urban development,’ allowing for a mixed use of the premises.
Other concerns raised from the petition were to be addressed by operational management plans, noise management plans and acoustic assessments, according to the officer comments.
The officer stated that street bays for the premises were originally a part of a 2004 building application and were not for exclusive use by residents.
The petition proposed that the development would devalue the residential area, which the officer noted, but stated that was not a planning concern.
The petition also called for the site to return to its prior use of being a café, which the officer also noted.
The site, located on Foxton Boulevard, was once a café and contains both residential and commercial kitchen facilities.
The City of Kalamunda received a proposal to turn the site into a commercial kitchen which will prepare food seven days a week to sell wholesale to restaurants and cafes.
The proposal states that a maximum of four staff will work in the kitchen from 7am to 6pm and it will be closed to the public.
The site already has a number of approvals for commercial uses as a deli, home store or professional office.
The City of Kalamunda closed consultation surrounding the proposal on Friday, August 11.
