A new 4.5-star hotel could soon rise in the Mandurah Ocean Marina, with a planning application submitted to the City of Mandurah to change the zoning of two sites currently used for parking.
Application Details
TBB Planning, on behalf of WA Property Investors Pty Ltd, has applied to alter planning rules for Lot 24 Breakwater Parade and Lot 107 Dolphin Drive. The City of Mandurah currently holds a 20-year lease on Lot 24, paying $1 per year for a 110-bay carpark until January 2039. If a development is approved, the number of public parking bays would be reduced to 50.
The Dolphin Drive site, part of the Seashells Resort, includes an open-air carpark and was previously approved for an expansion that was never completed.
Proposed Development
The applicants seek to rezone the sites for a hotel or other tourism accommodation, along with small businesses like cafes, restaurants, and shops, plus a limited number of residential apartments. Building heights would vary: up to four storeys along Breakwater Parade, up to eight storeys on the remainder of Lot 24, and up to 14 storeys on part of the Dolphin Drive site—two storeys taller than the previously approved Seashells Resort expansion.
The landowners believe this would enable a high-quality hotel, noting that groups like Hilton, Marriott, and Rydges consider a 4.5-star hotel viable there. Any future development would require separate approval and community consultation.
Community Concerns
At a council meeting on May 26, resident Jacqueline Del Bravo questioned whether the lease and restrictive covenant on Lot 24 would remain if zoning changes proceed. City director James Campbell-Sloan said any changes to the parking agreement would need council consideration before construction. The proponent has agreed to provide 50 permanent public parking bays within the development.
Ms Del Bravo also asked about entertainment venues on the ground floor opposite residential homes. Mr Campbell-Sloan said restaurants, cafes, offices, shops, breweries, or taverns could be allowed as part of an integrated tourism development, with non-residential ground-floor uses required to maintain a semi-active frontage.
Next Steps
The city has not yet completed its assessment. Submissions close on June 25.
