Q&A From the Webinar Series
As part of the public consultation process for the proposed Scheme Amendment for Wallcliffe House, a number of webinars were conducted in June 2020. Content included Alexandra and Julian Burt’s vision for the property, the high-level concept plans and design intent, heritage and environmental considerations as well as the scheme amendment details.
As a result of the audience engagement, the following Q&A has been developed to enable people to better understand the project.
Building & Design
Q: Could you confirm the total occupancy of Wallcliffe House?
A: As part of our Scheme Amendment request, we opted to include a maximum number of rooms. It actually wasn't required as part of the language change, but we decided to offer it so that it would be well known to everyone what the scope could be. So the maximum that we've applied for in the Scheme Amendment is 40 keys (hotel speak for 40 rooms). We haven't yet decided on what the final room number might be for our project but what the Scheme Amendment request guarantees is that, if it is approved it would be no more than 40 keys.
Q: Will the footprint of the new Wallcliffe House be a similar size and shape to the original home?
A: We intend to rebuild on the historical footprints and to replicate, as best as we can with modern building practices, the original buildings. From an exterior point of view, we want to be able to give people a sense that they really are back at the original house. Modern-day building codes and public access compliance requirements mean that there is no opportunity to rebuild exactly those historical buildings. However, we aim to re-create the essence of the original architecture so that, at first glance, it doesn’t look demonstrably different from the old Wallcliffe House that we all know so well.
The interiors, however, will be quite different for two reasons: firstly, the new use of the building is very different from its original purpose as a home; and secondly, as with the exterior, the original home’s interiors would not have met any of the strict building codes we need to meet in today’s world. Even though the layout will be different, we hope that the magic of our design will mean that it harks back to a different time and evokes an atmosphere of 1865 across the whole property. Even if the walls aren't in the same place, and the rooms are serving a different function, we want it to feel as though perhaps it has been there forever. If we can create that impression, then we'll feel really pleased and think we've been successful we believe that will be a tremendous success and be an appropriate recognition of the property’s Anglo-European past.
Q: Will the historic cellars and raised back veranda be reconstructed as well?
A: Yes, we aim to re-create the veranda. It's such a beautiful view and provides so much of the charm. It was quite a wide veranda, even for its time at roughly three metres. It became a very wide, habitable space and very Australian, so we’ll be looking to maintain that as much as possible. The cellars and underground works have not been discussed at this stage.
Q: Will you save or re-create the big chimney that seemed to survive the dreadful fire better than other parts of the home?
A: We are doing our best to save it. It is incredibly unstable at the moment and we have spoken with different builders and engineers to investigate its long-term suitability for the new build. If it can’t be saved in its current form, we would like to be able to recreate it as best as possible. The limestone itself has been baked to brittleness and has no structural integrity. However, the limestone blocks themselves can still be used within a new structure or within parts of a new inglenook chimney.
Q: To what extent will the existing materials be assessed and salvaged or incorporated as part of the rebuild?
A: We had hoped it may be possible to restore rather than completely rebuild, however it’s just not possible. The integrity of all the materials affected by the fire was fully compromised in the older buildings, the original Wallcliffe House and the dairy.
But what we can do, which we are really excited about, is deconstruct as oppose to demolish. That means taking apart the heritage buildings, stone by stone, brick by brick, then cataloguing the materials that we can salvage, with a view to reincorporating them into the new build, either in their original form or repurposed in some way.
Additionally, there is a lot of other material particularly from the newer construction, the Chaney house and the services building behind it, which are quite significant structures and have got plenty of rubble and waste material because of the fire. Our intention here, using a local company, is to grind up all that non-heritage waste material so it can become part of either road base, footpaths or even foundations for the new building. Whilst this doesn’t sound as glamorous,, it means that we can recycle everything that has been brought onto site over the last 20 years as opposed to directing that material to waste.
Q : For local artisans, craftspeople and trades how can they get involved?
A: We talked a lot during the webinars about the importance of having as much local involvement as we can – including the materials we are sourcing and the experts we want to engage in the construction and beyond.
We look forward to meeting those with specific trades and skills over the course of the project’s development, and artisans and craftspeople are welcome to get in touch via the Wallcliffe House blog and let us know about you and your business and skills.
We are very excited to discover as much talent as we can from the region.
Guest Experience
Q: Regarding the overall intent of the guest experience, how do you see people using Wallcliffe House in this new vision?
A: We know people come to Margaret River for a range of different reasons: For some it might be the wine and or food experience; for some people it's about nature and about connection with the natural world; for some it's about adventure and hiking and surfing; and for some it's about art and culture and getting to know craftspeople and how things are made here.
Our experience, we hope, will cater to all those motivations and, through our network, open doors to places and people that maybe aren't always the obvious choice for a tourist coming to the region, so that the experience is bespoke for every guest.
We also hope we can introduce guests to parts of the region they might not have been expecting to see. The experience of being at Wallcliffe House has an extraordinary sense of calmness and serenity, just absolute pure beauty in both what is manicured and what is wild, and we want to bring that calmness and serenity into the guest experience.
So whether it's in the rooms or through the dining experience or having a drink or afternoon tea or using the extraordinarily beautiful day spa, we want guests to feel relaxed and at ease. We want guests to connect with the sense of place at Wallcliffe, to connect with the natural beauty, indigenous and European history and grow to love this place as much as we do. And, at the end of their stay, hopefully they have been able to feel immersed in a place that is both gentle and rich, have had an amazing Margaret River time, and feel they have discovered somewhere very special.
Q: In terms of guest experience, what's the visitor experience going to be like as they enter the property?
A: Wallcliffe House will be a quintessentially Margaret River experience. Starting from the long, narrow drive off Wallcliffe Road, guests will drive in under a canopy of peppermint and red gum trees. A subtle gatehouse will greet visitors at the entrance to the property and then, as they round the bend in the drive, the vista of the Indian Ocean will open up before them. As they drive further down, the Wallcliffe grounds will transition from native bushland to hints of the more structured European gardens and that sense of arrival, and calm of being at the ultimate destination, will take over.
Q: When will we be able to make bookings for special events?
A: We are still at the very early stages of development for this project, and we are not in a position to forecast any timings until we see if our Scheme Amendment request is approved, which will take several more months. If we are successful, from there we still have the full design development phase to work through, as well as the construction period, which will be quite lengthy for a project such as this. However, we do hope to be able to give more of an idea early next year when we know about the outcome of the Scheme Amendment.
Heritage
Q: Will the new building be heritage listed?
A: The site as a whole has a heritage listing which includes the original Wallcliffe House, the dairy. The European heritage listing also makes reference to the Aboriginal values. The fact that the original house and dairy burnt down doesn’t mean that the heritage listing gets removed or that the heritage associated with those two buildings is removed. It simply means that any new structures will be considered non-heritage elements of a heritage-listed site. This will require us to continue to manage the whole of the site consistently with the requirements of its heritage listing.
It is very much the intention to reuse and repurpose as many of the remaining materials as possible, and as mentioned earlier, to recreate the original buildings (externally) as faithfully as modern building codes allow.
And hopefully, in time, the new buildings will also be worthy of their own heritage listing.
Q: Is there any archaeological potential on the site?
A: The original house was developed in the 1860s and even though there has been other development on the site and changes to the original house, there is always the potential for some archaeology to be found around the base of the house and in the old footings. Once the development process commences, archaeology will become a consideration just in case we find some artefacts relating to the Bussells and early occupants of the place that inform how life was. It’s part of the history that’s important to be recorded so the potential is there.
In terms of Indigenous archaeology, the same applies and there has been sustained engagement with the Wadandi people over time including when the new house and structures were built. All of the excavation work that was required to create the foundations for those new structures, which were built in the early 2000s, was overseen by a Wadandi elder. That’s been a longstanding process with development on the site and one we intend to continue.
Q: Re consultation with Wadandi people. What form is this taking, and who with?
A: This is taking two forms: the first is the formal process which requires consultation with the family representatives on the South West Land and Sea Council, which will in turn lead to any required permissions for development work on the site to be sought. We are conducting this process with the assistance of local Aboriginal Heritage consultants Brad Goode and Associates.
The second form is a direct dialogue with Wadandi Elders and their relevant associations, namely the Undalup Association and Bibbulman Mia, to develop our understanding of the cultural knowledge of the area and explore opportunities for the Wadandi to bring cultural learning onto the site. As well as enhancing our guest experience, it will also provide tangible opportunities for Wadandi people.
Operations
Q: What will be the impact of traffic on the local roads during development and then during operation?
A: Whilst we have only just begun the task of investigating traffic movements in and around the site, we will inevitably be increasing movement in and around the property. However, with the reduction in the number of keys, now up to 40 maximum, we would expect vehicular movements to be comparable to that of the local golf course, and we will continue to work through these considerations to ensure we provide the absolutely best guest experience with minimal impact to the community.
Q: What will public access be like? You’ve mentioned you want people to be able to share the site – more than if it was private property – however the plans look exclusive and expensive. How will members of the community and non-residents be able to experience Wallcliffe House?
A: Once Wallcliffe House is open, people will be able to visit for a few different experiences. They can book a session in the day spa or make a reservation in the restaurant / café. We also intend, ahead of opening, to provide the opportunity for the local community to visit new Wallcliffe, to see what we have created before the paying public.
Q: Once the hotel is open, what will the operating hours be for the site and how might that disturb the local area?
A: Like any other hotel in the area our operating hours would likely be the same. We will have a comprehensive management plan in place to enable our staff to mitigate any issues relating to any potential disturbance.
Q: Will there be a helipad?
A: No, we have no intention of creating a helipad on the site. There are other locations in the area far more suitable.
Q: An exhibition centre and reception centre sounds big and noisy.... not intimate and low impact on the environment? Can you please confirm what these elements are?
A: These are land use classes that are specifically used in the Shire’s Planning Scheme and that is why we have to use them in our amendment, even though our intent is only for something of a very small scale, in keeping with the overall hotel character.
This is also why we have included some very strict limitations in the T5 provisions that require that Reception, or Exhibition centre or conference facilities can only be approved if they are incidental to the hotel – a minor and integrated part of the hotel, and given that the hotel itself is limited to such a small number of guests, any incidental use is similarly going to be very small and discreet.
It is also worth mentioning that the current T5 conditions allow for “conference facilities” without any control over scale, capacity, noise, operating hours etc so we are actually going to be removing that existing potential for a more impactful facility to be developed.
A second and perhaps more important point to make is that our guest experience will be focusing on the natural calm and serenity of this special site. We want all our guests to feel that they are in a place where they can relax and immerse themselves in this tranquillity. Having loud and flashy functions at the same time will compromise that experience for our guests, so the few functions we do expect to have will be required to abide by our own house rules, which will include things such as no DJs or loud bands and no bright lighting.
Environment
Q : How will potential impacts on fauna be managed during the construction process in particular?
A: The intent of the project overall is to respect the habitat and activities of the native fauna and sensitively integrate awareness of both native fauna and flora into the guest experience.
We are very conscious of managing the site and minimising the potential impacts during demolition and then construction. There will be a fauna management plan that will include the use of fauna spotters on site during works to look out for any fauna and protect them; there’ll also be pre-clearing checks which often involve some trapping prior to any works happening so that we can move them away from works areas. We are also conscious that the uses of the site could change the environment in subtle ways and things like adaptive lighting will be implemented to minimise impact on fauna. It’s a work in progress but a very high priority for the project.
Q: The river is a very special place. What guest access will there be to river and how will the river and habitat be protected?
A: No removal of vegetation or habitat associated with the river is proposed. All existing riparian vegetation (i.e. vegetation along the river) will be protected, largely based on current approaches (including separation between activities within the site and the river and excluding guests from access to the vegetated areas), and we are looking to enhance the vegetation and habitat as well, through weed control and additional planting. Any guest access would be associated with low scale activities, such as canoeing, and would be via the existing sandy beach along the river.
Q: There are many native birds and animals in the area, won’t they be impacted by this development and forced from the habitat?
A: The development area does contain areas of vegetation used by native birds and animals, however modification to vegetation will be minor, with the majority proposed to be retained and enhanced. The landscaped grounds are an important part of what makes Wallcliffe House special – this is not proposed to change. There will potentially be short-term impacts on native birds and animals during demolition and construction activities, but these can be managed with minimal impact, and will include actions such as pre-clearing checks for fauna, relocating if required and having a fauna spotter present during activities. It is the intent of the development that fauna will utilise the site naturally (much like the possums do currently in and around people’s homes) and will form a natural part of the guest experience.
Q: What about wastewater, sewerage etc? How is that going to be managed?
A: As part of ongoing site investigations and due diligence, we have looked at options to connect to the mains connection at Gnarabup or install our own a state-of-the-art waste management system as part of the development. There is a range of legislation that guides the requirements for wastewater systems, which we will need to operate in accordance with. It is early days and we will be consulting with all stakeholders including our direct neighbours.
Q: What are the issues with having a water treatment plant right next to the river?
A: If a wastewater treatment plant is installed in the site (keeping in mind it is early days, and we are still looking at the options available), the main consideration will be the potential for nutrients in the treated water to make its way to the river. Any wastewater system that was installed would need to demonstrate that nutrients are reduced and have a strict operational management plan for using this water. This would ensure nutrients can be taken up by the vegetated areas within the site. The system would also need to meet the strict requirements of the Department of Health and Department of Water and Environmental Regulation.
Q: Could you comment on the fire management plan?
A: Our bushfire management plan has identified the risks impacting the buildings and all new buildings will be built to the relevant bush fire standard. The standards are intended to improve the resilience of buildings to the mechanisms of bush fire attack, which are radiant heat, flame contact and embers. Future planning will include the development of an evacuation plan and the specific BAL (Bushfire Attack Level) ratings for different areas of the site that buildings will be built to. There will be another iteration of the bush fire management plan if we progress to the next stage, and that will outline things in further detail.
Parts of the site are in a BAL FZ zone which means that there is a very limited palate of materials that are available for construction in those areas but other parts of the site aren’t subject to quite the same limitations As a starting point we will work with our architectural team to understand what materials can be used in which parts of the site and select what we feel is most appropriate for our design.
We are very committed to ensuring this beautiful building stands for many years to come, and we certainly don’t want it to burn down in 10 years’ time. The task is to find materials that have that elegance and authenticity of the site that we can work with, that can also withstand any fire situation.
Q: Is there a sustainability rating objective or some sort of certificate you might be seeking down the track?
A: We’re investigating the certifications available. We intend to use a global standard because we think that will be most useful and valuable for this project given that we are talking to a global audience. We are mindful of the fact that much of our audience and potential guests are actually looking for those types of certifications, something that validates the claims we might make in our marketing material, and it is important to us and to them that it is backed up by a vigorous process. We have been progressively evaluating what those standards are and we will select one that is not only right for a project like this, being a hotel and hospitality project, but also one that is right for our own Australian conditions.
Planning
Q: What is the development capping point on the site in terms of future development and what might the saturation point might be, or how that could be determined?
A: There are two ways you can do this: you can be very specific in creating numbers like plot ratios and building heights, but it really doesn't work in a site with such unique characteristics as this. Instead, it's about first and foremost identifying the values of the site and then creating some constraints on the total development outcome. The key capping point is going to be the limitation on the number of accommodation keys. So whether it's in hotel accommodation or the hotel chalets etc, we've got a total of 40 keys. That will place a limitation on the predominant use of the site, which is the hotel. The other uses around it, particularly the reception and exhibition centre, and the conference facilities, have to be subordinate, they have to be minor components of that predominant use. They wil necessarily be quite small and discreet uses in keeping with the scale of the hotel. Back of house facilities, car parking requirements and the traffic implications are all constrained by the same factors.
Q: In talking about the additional uses on the property, the total will go from the current six to 11. Is that a lot for a project like this? What's the relativity there in terms of site uses?
A: No, it's not at all. Let me make some comparisons. Within the Augusta-Margaret River scheme itself residential zones and lots have 22 allowable uses, rural residential has 18 allowable uses, conservation-zoned land has around 16 allowable uses. We need to list all the possible uses that might be considered within the fully functional hotel facility even if it's an integral part of the hotel whilst remembering that we've actually placed quite strict limitations on some of those uses and how they might occur. So, in Scheme terms, having a total of 11 uses is actually quite constrained.
The limitations and controls we have added to the Scheme also afford protection for the site in the very unlikely instance that something happens and would force Alex and Julian to no longer own Wallcliffe House – those same limitations would then apply to any future owner of the site.
Q: Can you elaborate on the planning provisions that are in place to protect the river?
A: Within the Scheme Amendment request, the key provision is to create a 20-metre building setback provision. That gives an absolute physical separation for any new development from the river foreshore. Beyond that, there are also the specific requirements of foreshore management in due course that ensure the maintenance, protection and enhancement of the natural riverine environment. What that translates to down the track is that ahead of actual development and, say, through the development application process, there will typically be a requirement for a foreshore management plan, as well as a lot of other management plans. We are going to be required to, and expect to be, complying with these things.
Q: Why is only a 20m development setback proposed? Shouldn’t the development setback align with the footprint of the existing development? The EPA has recommended a development setback of 30m be applied. Why hasn’t that been adopted?
A: The 20m setback requirement takes into account a number of factors that are particular to this site, including existing landscaping, existing structures, natural vegetation etc; and this was considered to provide appropriate separation between any new development and the river/foreshore vegetation. The Department of Water and Environmental Regulation (DWER) is supportive of the 20m development setback. The EPA’s advice will be considered by the Shire along with all other submissions received during the advertising period.
Q: The Council report states that a 20m development setback still allows some development to occur within the mapped extent of the Aboriginal Heritage site associated with the Margaret River? Does this mean that development might impact the heritage site?
A: No it doesn’t; more importantly, we have been engaging directly with the Traditional Owners while the scheme amendment has been underway. Through that process, we are making sure that whatever we do does not impact on areas of heritage significance. We are highly respectful of the Wadandi people and their connection to the land and are genuinely intent on working with them to ensure their values are respected and protected.
Q: Will a foreshore reserve be provided consistent with the land further along the river and the recommendations of the Lower Margaret River Foreshore Action Plan?
A: The natural riverine vegetation along the foreshore strip will be protected through conditions in the Scheme Amendment which require the foreshore values to be appropriately enhanced, protected and managed. Typically, this will be done by requiring the preparation and implementation of a foreshore management plan.
Q: The EPA provided advice and recommendations – can you tell us what they are?
A: Yes. Firstly, a complete copy of the EPA’s advice is available on the Shire’s website. The EPA’s decision is that the Scheme Amendment should not be assessed under the Environmental Protection Act 1986. The EPA also provided the following advice and recommendations in relation to the Scheme Amendment:
· a fauna management plan should be prepared prior to development;
· that new development is setback 30m from the property boundary unless an alternative setback is identified in consultation with DWER;
· nutrient and irrigation management, foreshore revegetation and potential river erosion impacts be considered and addressed through future stages of planning; and
· on-site effluent disposal should be consistent with the Government Sewerage Policy.
The EPA’s advice will be considered by the Shire along with all other submissions received during the advertising period. It is intended that all of the EPA’s recommendations will be appropriately addressed.
Q: Are the development conditions prescriptive enough? Will they still be open to judgement or interpretation by the JDAP?
A: The proposed conditions are deliberately qualitative to provide clear guidance to a decision-maker on the unique values of this site. Undesirable development outcomes occur when the planning framework is highly prescriptive but does not provided adequate clarity regarding site values. More prescriptive development conditions will often lead to a contrived outcome simply to meet the measures; they will often supress design excellence and are not considered an appropriate measure of suitable development for this exceptional site.
Q: How important is public feedback on the Scheme Amendment? If the development fits the criteria, surely the feedback relates more to the DA than the scheme change?
Yes, the Scheme Amendment itself is really only dealing with the broad controls of land use and site and building design so there are many other things that will need to be addressed through a future Development Application process – including building and landscape design, traffic and car parking, environmental management plans etc.
However, all feedback is considered to be valuable, even if it might relate more to the detailed design of a future development application, understanding that many comments may not be considered in the Scheme Amendment, but will still be kept in mind when a DA is received.
Summary
Q: Are there any last comments you'd like to make with respect to the guest experience, or what you're hoping will actually take place for people once they get to visit Wallcliffe House?
A: We are mindful of the fact that re-creating the original Wallcliffe House stone for stone and timber board for timber board won't be possible for a range of reasons. Building codes, OH&S, fire, environment – they are all compliance areas that didn’t exist in the 1860s.
Ultimately, we hope that when people visit, the first impression they get is that they have arrived at Wallcliffe – a place they recognise but in which they also see something new. And if they mistake the new building for the old at first, that will be very heart-warming for us.
That's how we want to connect people at that very first moment to the history and extraordinary stories of the site. There is a very strong and important visual cue for people that can connect them to the layers and layers and layers of things that there are to talk about in relation to this extraordinary place. Once they start engaging with us, we hope they'll enjoy peeling back all those layers of stories – the contemporary history as well as the older history, the Indigenous stories, and the stories of past hospitality that we are actively collating.
There are some practicalities around the experience as well. We want our guests to have a great food and beverage experience. We want them to have the ability to walk around the gardens and just pause from their busy lives; to reflect and enjoy; to hear the river quietly making its way past the front of the property. There are a lot of beautiful, calm and serene elements that we hope people will enjoy. And, of course, mostly we're here to show off Margaret River and all the amazing things that there are to do and see. We will curate itineraries for people who need them to be created, but we also know plenty of people will be coming with their itineraries already in mind. We hope we can add value to that by perhaps opening some doors to experiences they might not otherwise have known about. Our hope is that we shine a light on the best of Margaret River and that people come away from their time at Wallcliffe House not just talking highly, we hope, about their Wallcliffe House experience, but also about the whole region, because that will be a tremendous benefit for everybody.