PERFORMING ARTS CENTRE RECOMMENDATION:

JOONDALUP councillors have been recommended to initiate the design development phase of the proposed $100 million Joondalup performing arts project.

The item will be presented at tonight’s council briefing, before going to a vote at the meeting on June 27.

As outlined in the council document released on Friday, the design development phase will create a report to “better inform the business case and allow the council to more accurately assess the overall costs of the development while also providing a greater level of detail in the design”.

“The completion of detailed design will enable the project to progress to a documentation and tendering stage where final costings would be identified prior to a decision to proceed with the construction of the facility,” it said.

This is estimated to cost $1.7 million (excluding GST), which forms part of the overall $99.7 million cost.

However, the document states that progressing to this phase “does not commit the council to proceeding with the overall development”.

Officers have also recommended councillors note that the City will “engage the services of a project director to assist with the design development phase” and that a review of the business case will be done at the same time.

The report also contains results from the community consultation held from February 16 to March 30. It states that the City collected 1542 valid responses, of which 740 (48 per cent) supported the project and 646 (42 per cent) were opposed. Of the valid responses, 1289 were from residents or ratepayers of the City, with 520 (40 per cent) in support and 638 (49 per cent) opposed.

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