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.