A proposal to build WA’s first timber-framed office building in Fremantle has been given the green light by Fremantle Council.

Last night the council’s Planning Committee approved the six-storey sustainable office development on the corner of High Street and Josephson Street in Fremantle’s East End.

The proposal by Yolk Property Group and Harris Jenkins Architects includes a small bar and restaurant on the ground floor, five levels of office space in the upper floors and a basement level housing a car stacker, pump room and water tank.

As well as the building’s timber construction, other sustainability features include an operable glass facade to circulate fresh air and deliver maximum sunlight to all levels of the building, a solar photovoltaic and battery storage system and a commercial greywater system.

Fremantle Mayor Brad Pettitt said the building was an excellent example of the sustainable development the City was seeking to encourage.

“In recent years in Fremantle we’ve seen the construction of some really exciting sustainable buildings that are better places to live and work in, better for the environment and cheaper to operate,” Mayor Pettitt said.

“To be home to WA’s first timber-framed office building will only enhance Fremantle’s reputation as a leader in sustainable development.

“It’s also worth noting that this project represents the first significant investment in a major new office development in the eastern end of Fremantle since Scheme Amendment 49 was approved back in 2012.

“It goes to show that it can take a long time for the planning decisions of the council to flow through to actual development, but it also demonstrates that the council’s plan to make Fremantle a more attractive investment destination is working.

“This project, along with the renewal of Kings Square and all the new residential developments in the city centre, will result in more people living and working in Fremantle and supporting the local economy.”   

The amendment to the City of Fremantle’s Local Planning Scheme, Amendment 49, was approved by the Minister for Planning in November 2012.

It aimed to boost residential and commercial investment in Fremantle by identifying 12 key sites in the East End that were suitable for redevelopment and allowed for increased building heights and density on those sites.