Tourism Planning Taskforce Report - Western Australian Planning ...

Chapter 5Term of Reference 2and location of the component within thesite. The greatest conflict and detrimentalimpact will arise where the residentialcomponent is in proximity to the tourismfocus or recreation/entertainment facilities.• There is potential to reduce the level ofconflict and detrimental impact on tourismof a residential component in a tourismdevelopment on a non-strategic site wherethe residential component is less than 25per cent of the development, and designand management such that the tourismorientation of the development isemphasised and maintained.5.5 Providing for a morebalanced communityEvaluation of this issue was undertaken on asite-specific basis, as was relevant to amajority of submissions received by thetaskforce, and from a wider perspective, whichgenerally relates to the ability to service andmaintain facilities for a tourism-onlydevelopment.The social and management justifications putforward by developers in support of theincorporation of a residential component intourism developments identified a number ofbeneficial outcomes on a site-specific basis.These were:• ability for a residential component toprovide support for commercial facilitieswithin a development;• provision of a level of management andownership presence; and• establishment of a level of year-roundactivity and use.These issues were discussed in detail underterm of reference 1, and the taskforce did notaccept that these benefits would outweigh thepotential negative implications associated withconflict between residential and tourist users,and the devaluation of the tourism experience,in respect to strategic sites.The taskforce received a number ofsubmissions supporting the need to establisha balanced population in the Cable Beachtourism precinct in Broome, through allowingresidential development. This issue providesan outline of the specific conditions thatprevail in some regional areas.The Shire of Broome has reviewed this issueon a precinct basis and considers that thereare potential advantages in permittingresidential development in a primarily tourismarea. The approach proposed by the shire isthe introduction of a residential component ona graduating basis with increasing distancefrom Cable Beach and the adjoiningcommercial/tourism focus. The advantagesare:• A base residential population will increasethe ability to establish viable commercialactivities in the area through reducedseasonality of demand, which will benefitthe tourism experience in the area in thelong term.• The Cable Beach precinct is large, beingoriginally designated on the basis that itpermitted mixed use development, and hasthe capacity to accommodate residentialdevelopment, particularly in the areas awayfrom Cable Beach, which do not have hightourism potential.• These areas are noted as requiring acatalyst for development to improve theoverall outlook and character of the area.• A more balanced, all-year population willresult in greater use of existinginfrastructure and investment in the area,and increase the ability to improve andprovide further infrastructure.The achievement of these advantages arecritically reliant on the permanent occupationof the residential units/development and thatthis occurs to a level that will outweigh thehigher expenditure on facilities, cafés,restaurants and tourism orientated specialtyshops, that otherwise would accrue fromtourism.As the residential component isacknowledged by the Shire of Broome as alegitimate land use in this context, it isnecessary that it be located to provide anadequate level of residential amenity. Whilethe level of integration between the residentialand tourism components would need to behigh in proximity to the strategic tourism focus,maintaining tourism dominance, it is acceptedthat this would reduce toward the periphery ofthe precinct.40 Tourism Planning Taskforce Report