City delay Rockingham carpark plan

The City of Rockingham Council has voted to put the Wanliss Street carpark redevelopment on hold, carrying a motion that declined all tender submissions for the project.

Council voted unanimously in favour of stalling the carpark redevelopment at Tuesday night’s council meeting, with the recent Port Rockingham Marina proposal playing a large role in council’s decision.

With the City’s Wanliss Street carpark redevelopment in close proximity to the marina proposal, council found it to be financially responsible to delay the construction of the carpark until greater clarity on the $35 million project and its planning framework came to light.

The proposal to build a marina at Wanliss Street appeared to be dead in the water until the proponent was granted a five-year extension to its environmental approvals earlier this year.

If it went ahead it would include 500 boat pens, up to 600 parking spaces and 4500sqm of retail space.

Tourism bodies and the business community have backed the marina proposal, while local environmental groups also support the project, deeming it a better alternative than a marina at Mangles Bay.