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Alchemy Sauna proposal - North Cottesloe Surf Life Saving Club (NCSLSC)

Project Overview

online community engagement

What is the proposal?

The applicant proposes a single‑storey, sauna building located along the northern edge of the roof of the NCSLSC.

The proposal aims to:

  • preserve key ocean view corridors from Eric Street, Marine Parade and adjoining public spaces
  • ensure the majority of the roof deck remains publicly accessible, with upgrades including improved surfacing and drainage, seating and furniture, lighting, and a public water bottle filling station
  • ensure these improvements are intended to benefit all users of the space, and not only sauna patrons.

From a broader perspective, and the proposal provides a commercial opportunity that helps support the operations of the NCSLSC. The Town itself would receive some modest commercial benefit for the wider community. Council considered the possible commercial terms for the sauna should it be approved and lease amended on 28 April 2026.

The ski shed and roof area is located on Crown land that is reserved for regional open space, currently leased by the Town to the NCSLSC to support its lifesaving and community activities. Under the proposal, the Club would remain the primary lessee. Any sauna operation would occur through a sub‑lease or licence arrangement between the Club and the operator, subject to Town approval and relevant State Government consents.

Any variation to the existing lease would require formal approval, and would need to clearly define responsibilities for maintenance, safety, insurance and compliance. Council's position is that all costs, risks, and removal obligations must sit with the Club and/or operator, not with the community. Council would retain its role as land manager, with ongoing oversight to ensure any use remains consistent with the public interest and the land’s recreational purpose.

  • Alchemy Sauna proposal - Community feedback

    About this consultation

    As the site is located on Regional Open Space under the Metropolitan Region Scheme, the formal approval authority is the WAPC, not the Town of Cottesloe.

    The Town would therefore make a recommendation to the WAPC. Council is now seeking community feedback to help inform the recommendation.

    We are specifically asking for feedback on:

    • the appearance, height and width of the sauna building
    • the landscaping approach to the public space
    • the approaches to shade on the public space – i.e. do you prefer the shade sails or umbrellas?
    • your thoughts on the proposed hours of operation of the sauna – including its opening and closing times
    • thoughts on the proposed level of patronage of the sauna.

     

    The survey will be open for submissions until 25 June 2026.

    Take this Survey

More details about the proposal

Alchemy Sauna propose to construct a sauna and associated public space area (public realm) on the Ski Shed roof of the existing NCSLSC. The information below is drawn from the applicant's submitted materials.

Plans, Visuals and Landscaping Drawings

Proposed development plans and landscape drawings are found below.

  • Proposed Development Plans
  • Landscape Plans
  • Perspectives and Visuals - Go to the Gallery on the right hand side of the page to view the two sets of visuals; one of shade sails and the other of umbrellas.

Upcoming Community Information Session

A pop-up community information session will be held on Saturday June 13 2026 between 9:30am - 11:30am at Lesser Hall - 109 Broome St, Cottesloe.

More information can be viewed under our Community Information Sessions section on the right hand side of this page or by clicking here.

Key Points

In support of the proposal, the applicant has provided the following details:

Includes:

  • High-quality fixed furniture to support passive recreation and informal gatherings.
  • Shade is proposed either via shade sail or umbrellas at fixed furniture. 
  • Movable furniture to allow the community to continue to occupy the ski shed roof in the same manner as they do today.
  • New screed and epoxy flooring with decorative patterning/artwork to improve drainage and ensure a safe, durable surface.
  • Low-level perimeter lighting to improve safety and legibility at night while remaining visually discreet.
  • Public water bottle filling station to enhance convenience and promote sustainable behaviour.
  • Operating hours: 5am to 9pm – daily
  • Patrons: The facility has been designed to accommodate up to 22 people per hour.
  • Staffing: One staff member present at all times during operations.
  • Expected Usage Rates: Alchemy Saunas currently operate two beach venues similar to this proposal, one at Port Beach (14-person capacity) and another at City Beach (27-person capacity). Based on actual occupancy rates and data collected across these venues, the key usage patterns are as follows:
    • Seasonal demand: Overall peak demand occurs from April through November, coinciding with the cooler months when beach use is much lower. This ensures the sauna use is complementary to traditional summer beach activity, rather than competing with it.
    • Daily peak demand: The busiest periods are early mornings (6am–8am) and late afternoons/evenings (4pm–7pm). These times fall outside the middle of the day, which is when beach visitation peaks during summer months.
    • Average occupancy: Port Beach records an average of 9 patrons per hour across all trading hours during a typical 7 day trading week, while City Beach records an average of 10 patrons per hour, reflecting steady but modest usage levels relative to beach capacity.
  • Modest, sympathetic signage is proposed at the entry frontage on Marine Parade and the western facade, consistent with Town guidelines.

Over recent years, Council has received community feedback about the informal use of the North Cottesloe Surf Life Saving Club (NCSLSC) ski shed roof at 151 Marine Parade, Cottesloe (adjacent to Magic Apple).

In June 2022, Council expressed a desire to see this space activated in a positive community manner and take proactive steps with the surf club in this regard.

The NCSLSC subsequently approached the Town about the possibility of using part of the ski shed roof for a sauna facility.

In April 2025, Council adopted a set of guiding principles for activation and development of the ski shed roof. These principles were established before any detailed proposal was considered to ensure that any proposal would be assessed against clear expectations relating to scale, siting, character and design quality, protection of ocean views, demountable construction, ongoing public access, and risk and cost arrangements.

Council also made clear that community consultation would form an essential part of any future decision‑making process.

About the applicant

Note: This proposal has been lodged by the applicant, Alchemy Sauna. The Town of Cottesloe is assessing the application and seeking community views. The Town has not made any decision on whether to support or oppose the proposal.

The information below is drawn from the applicant's submitted materials.

Community Information Sessions

Frequently Asked Questions

The applicant is seeking development approval for a sauna building on the roof of the existing ski shed at the NCSLSC together with upgrades to the rest of the roof deck. The applicant advises these upgrades to the roof deck include improved flooring/drainage treatment, seating/furniture, low-level lighting and a public water bottle filling station. The rooftop improvements would be available to the general public, not only sauna customers.

The applicant proposes to use approximately one-third of the existing rooftop (33%) for the enclosed sauna pavilion. The remaining two-thirds would remain open as public space.

The structure is single-storey and designed to reduce visual bulk and maintain view corridors.

The sauna is proposed to operate seven days a week from 5am to 9pm.

The applicant advises that noise impacts are expected to be minimal due to controlled management, internalised reception and amenities and no noisy plant/services.

Low-reflectivity finishes are proposed to reduce glare, and no solar panels are included in the application.

The applicant advises that no visible plant or noisy services are proposed, and the pavilion is designed to preserve public amenity.

The applicant advises the facility design includes internal reception and internal change/amenity areas to support an internalised arrival/departure process and avoid queuing outside.

The applicant has designed the facility for up to 22 people per hour but advises that actual numbers are typically lower at comparable venues, with visitors arriving and departing at different times rather than as large groups.

The applicant advises that patron movements are expected to be staggered rather than “group turnover”, based on typical sauna use patterns and booking behaviour at similar venues.

The applicant states the facility would include its own showers, change areas, and lockers, and is not expected to increase demand on existing public amenities in the area.

The applicant advises that parking/traffic impacts are expected to be minimal due to capped patron numbers, modest staffing, and usage patterns that generally fall outside peak summer beach periods and the middle of the day.

The applicant advises the pavilion is demountable in design, allowing for future disassembly, adaptive reuse or recycling.

The NCSLSC holds a registered lease with the Town over portions of Reserve 28199 and Reserve 13718 (including the ski shed and associated areas) for a term ending in 2038.

If approved, NCSLSC would sub-lease part of the ski shed roof to Alchemy Sauna to operate the sauna facility. This would require amendments to existing leasing arrangements.

It is proposed that day-to-day maintenance and cleanliness of the roof area would be undertaken by Alchemy Sauna, and that these outcomes would be secured through appropriate lease/lease-variation provisions if the project proceeds.

As the site is located on Regional Open Space under the Metropolitan Region Scheme, the formal approval authority is the Western Australian Planning Commission (WAPC), not the Town of Cottesloe. The Town would make a recommendation to the WAPC, with the WAPC having the final say on whether the development proceeds. Council has not yet formed a view on what recommendation it would make and is seeking community feedback to help inform that decision.

This community consultation period is important to Council forming a view on the proposal. At the close of advertising, the Council will consider the submissions received and form its view. A decision is likely to be made at a public Council Meeting. If it isn’t supported, the process will stop. If supported, then Council would commence the formal development assessment process and make a recommendation to the WAPC for its support for the development application. The WAPC will then consider whether it is supportive of the development application.

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Perspectives & Visuals Gallery

These include two sets of visuals, one with shade sails and others with umbrellas.

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