Town of Cambridge mayor Gary Mack has failed to sway his fellow councillors to buy a West Leederville site previously earmarked for a resort by Ricky Hirsch-led company FTD.
Town of Cambridge mayor Gary Mack has failed to sway his fellow councillors to buy a West Leederville site previously earmarked for a resort by Ricky Hirsch-led company FTD.
At last month’s council meeting, Mr Mack submitted a motion suggesting the town’s chief executive be allowed to make an offer to buy 28-30 Cambridge Street, which has recently come to market.
His motion was left in limbo after council supported town councillor Ben Mayes’s proposal to move on to the next matter on the meeting agenda.
“The item won’t be considered, it sits there [but] it doesn’t go away. It could be brought up at another council meeting…but that’s where it is now,” Mr Mack said at the meeting.
The corner lot was acquired by Kanvas on Cambridge Pty Ltd in January 2021 for $1.13 million, according to RP data.
Australian Securities and Investments Commission data shows Mr Hirsch, the founder of Balcatta-based builder Fulfil The Dream, as the sole owner of Kanvas on Cambridge.
Mr Mack’s motion, in the council meeting agenda, said the offer should be capped at $2.5 million.
“Previous councils have sought to acquire this property, but council’s intent was not previously successful and the owners sold the property to a developer,” the agenda reads.
“The proposed development failed to materialise, and the vendor is now the mortgagee in possession.”
The Cambridge Street property was placed on the market on March 21.
At the meeting, Mr Mack revealed an offer has been presented to the real estate agent responsible for 28-30 Cambridge Street.
Mr Mack said there were no planning controls attached to the site, but the council could guide future developments on the lot if it owned the land.
FTD previously flagged a luxury resort development on the West Leederville lot, as shown on the builder’s website before it was taken down.
The proposed resort, dubbed Kanvas, comprises apartments, a sky-deck roof terrace, lift access, private basement carpark, café, gym, and a sauna.
Liquidators were appointed to FTD Construction in January, after the company received complaints from investors and concerns from industry watchdog Building and Energy.
This is the second time in a month that Mr Mack tried to persuade the council to buy the site.
At a special council meeting on April 8, Mr Mack’s motion to authorise the chief executive make an offer to buy the property.
The motion was lost, with only two out of the eight other elected members on the council supporting Mr Mack’s proposal.
