The Shire of Murray will be keeping an eye on South Yunderup’s canal properties following a deputation from a resident which highlighted the existence of numerous illegal pergolas, patios and decks in the area.
Paul Eddy, like many other estate owners, built a deck and patio in his Murray Waters Boulevard home almost 10 years ago which didn’t follow the Shire’s building and setback regulations.
Under the Shire’s Yunderup Canals Stage 2, components of residential development including decks and patios must be 4.5 metres away from the canal frontage, Mr Eddy’s protruded 1 metre and 0.5 metres over the canal wall.
According to the Shire, the deck and patio didn’t meet the “open natured character of the canal frontage area” and didn’t reflect “the existing development pattern of the locality”.
They also said approving Mr Eddy’s structures would set an undesirable precedent for the approval of other development in the area.
However, in his deputation on Thursday morning, Mr Eddy said the structures didn’t obstruct the view of his neighbours, had never been the source of complaints, were good in design and followed the open nature of the estate.
He also shared several images of other homes in the canal front with similar structures in place breaching the local policy.
“The precedent has long been set,” he said.
He said he was happy to cut down the deck but he wasn’t willing to give up the patio which, he said, was the only way of getting protection from the sun when 20-knot winds were blowing in the area.
Following Mr Eddy’s deputation, the Shire voted unanimously to defer the item, carry out an audit on properties in the canal estate and bring another report to council for consideration.
As part of the process, the Shire will investigate how many properties breached the regulations and if changes need to be made to the current policy.