MANDURAH councillors carried the motion of contributing $300,000 to an extension of Bortolo Drive in Greenfields on Tuesday night.
Takafusa Australia, the owner of Lot 6 Bortolo Drive, seeks to develop the land in the near future. It requires the extension of the road by about 500 metres, commencing from Dalton Way.
The council’s contribution would go towards a further extension of Bortolo Drive, beyond the developer’s 500 metres.
“[The developer’s road extension] would result in a length of unmade road of 250m, which if constructed, would see Bortolo Drive connected to Gordon Road,” a report prepared by City officers read.
As the road extension would open up the area to residents, services and public transport, Councillor Peter Jackson said it was an action which “made sense”.
However Cr Fred Riebeling disagreed with the motion, as a site visit indicated to him that an extension was unnecessary.
“I’m not in the mind that this is a road that will create a great deal of benefit,” he said. “I’m not sure that this area is developable and I don’t for the life of me see why we would pay $300,000 for a road that I don’t see will bring any benefits.”
The report read: “It is argued that there is an overriding community benefit to be gained if the City could contribute funding of $300,000 to complete the Bortolo Drive road link to Gordon Road”.
“This would supplement the recent Kirkpatrick Drive road link from Mandurah Road and provide alternative access options to the Murdoch Education Campus and provide opportunity for public transport.”
Councillors voted in favour of considering the project’s funding be included in the 2015/2016 budget.