Gina Rinehart’s company claims a helicopter pad is a modern business necessity as it struggles to install one at its new headquarters in West Perth.
The City of Perth on Tuesday recommended councilors put on hold Hancock Iron Ore’s request to install a helipad as it redevelops its offices.
Designs provided to the council show the helipad would be 25 meters above ground, directly above the in-house teppanyaki grill, which is also proposed in the 53 Ord Street redevelopment plans.
Hancock told the council that a Bell 429 helicopter would use the pad 12 times a year and only during daylight hours, but planning officers said it would be difficult to formally limit the use of the helipad.
Element Advisory planner Dan Lees, representing Hancock, told council on Tuesday night that private rooftop helipads – rare in Australia – are common in New York, London and Tokyo.
“Perth is a global city and with that comes the contemporary needs of globally connected businesses,” Lees said.
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“The proposed helipad is a contemporary need for a business like Hancock Iron Ore.”
Lees, appearing with Sanjeev Manchanda, a longtime Rhinehart lieutenant, told the meeting that the helipad has “life-saving potential” as a landing point for emergency services.
When asked further, he admitted that the deck was the only “backup to backup” landing option, while another hospital’s helipad was 3 km away, and patients flown in by air would still need to be transferred from the deck to the hospital for treatment.
The application has attracted 29 opposing submissions, with one landlord telling the council that Hancock’s construction work has already drawn complaints from his tenants, including psychological counseling rooms and a recording studio.
Another neighbor feared that helicopter winds could damage the asbestos roof of his apartment block and spread loose asbestos fibres, while others said that a private helipad offered no public benefit.
“(This) would only save them a short amount of travel time, which is a very selfish approach for the building owners,” one submission said.
Hancock provided analysis that found aircraft noise would not exceed 92 decibels, similar to levels already seen in the area, but planning officials said the company had not demonstrated noise and vibration issues would be avoided.
The staff briefing before the council’s December meeting also warned that the flight path could hinder Perth’s housing growth by preventing nearby buildings from adding storeys, which Lees rejected.
Peter Newman, professor of sustainability at Curtin University, said councilors could grant permission for the helipad but were likely to follow the advice of the City of Perth’s planning team.
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But Rinehart could still appeal to the state government for permission to develop the helipad, Newman said.
“The Prime Minister would have to do this against the wishes of the planning system,” he said.
Asked how they would vote at next Tuesday’s meeting, councilors declined to say. The Deputy Lord Mayor, David Gonçalves, said he would consider the decision with an open mind.
One councillor, Chris Patten, said he would have supported the application, but was ineligible to vote because Hancock was a customer of his audiovisual services business.
“As a pilot, I wish I could vote,” Patton said.
“As Perth continues to grow and modernize, it is reasonable to expect that air transport will become a more regular part of city life.”
The council gave Hancock permission to renovate its newly purchased offices in 2023.
The company also plans to install a staff restaurant and a cat-friendly meeting room next to an outdoor “meow terrace.”
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