Published on Monday, 22 June 2026 at 12:26:59 PM
PROPOSED SITE PLAN
4 BED ACCOMM PLAN
3 BED ACCOMM PLAN
Text:
DEVELOPMENT APPLICATION FOR A PROPOSED ‘WORKFORCE ACCOMMODATION’ – 13 NICHOLLS STREET, BULLFINCH
Please be advised that the Shire of Yilgarn (Shire) has received a development application for a proposed ‘Workforce Accommodation’ at 13 Nicholls Street, Bullfinch.
The Shire is advertising the application for public comment and would like to provide surrounding landowners with an opportunity to view the proposal and lodge a submission.
Submissions may be made within 14 days of this advertisement, with submissions no longer being accepted from 4:00pm, 06 July 2026
Submissions may be made:
• in person – Shire of Yilgarn, 23 Antares Street, Southern Cross
• by mail – Shire of Yilgarn, PO Box 86, Southern Cross WA 6426
• via email – subject line “Submission regarding development application at 13 Nicholls Street” addressed to Kelly Watts at rso@yilgarn.wa.gov.au
The applicant’s proposal has been provided below to assist and inform potential submissions.
1. Applicant’s proposal
The proposed development is for ‘Workforce Accommodation’ at 13 Nicholls Street, Bullfinch, which will consist of the following:
• 6 x Accommodation buildings (12m L x 4.2m W x 2.82m H) comprising of 4 single units per building;
• 4 x Accommodation buildings (12.165m L x 3.045m W x 2.65m H) comprising of 3 single units per building;
• Power generation and battery infrastructure located to the rear (southern corner) on Nicholls S;
• A wastewater treatment plant will be located to the rear (western corner) on Nicholls St. A main macerator/discharge tank/wastewater treatment plant within a sea container and 3 x 15kL Clearwater discharge tanks;
• 13 x car bays and 2 x designated 12 seater minivan bays along Shallcross Street; and
• 1.8m high Colorbond ‘Good Neighbour’ fence around the property with 2 x pedestrian access gates from Shallcross Street.
The development site will provide ‘Workforce Accommodation’ for employees of the Radio Hill Mine site in Bullfinch. The 36 single units provided will accommodate 36 staff, and these rooms will add additional accommodation to what’s currently provided at the adjacent Bullfinch Tavern.
2. Planning Context
13 Nicholls Street, Bullfinch is zoned ‘Rural/Mining’ under the Shire’s Local Planning Scheme No. 2 (LPS2), which has the following objectives:
• To be used primarily for rural, mining, agricultural, single houses, and public recreation.
The proposed use is best described as ‘Workforce Accommodation’, which is defined under Division 2 of the LPS2 as follows:
workforce accommodation means premises, which may include modular or
relocatable buildings, used —
a) primarily for the accommodation of workers engaged in construction,
resource, agricultural or other industries on a temporary basis; and
b) for any associated catering, sporting and recreation facilities for the occupants
and authorised visitors.
Land use compatibility within zones is outlined in the Zoning Table of LPS2. The above land use is not listed in the Zoning Table and therefore must be considered under Clause 18(4) of LPS2, which states the following:
The local government may, in respect of a use that is not specifically referred to in the zoning table and that cannot reasonably be determined as falling within a use class referred to in the zoning table –
a) determine that the use is consistent with the objectives of a particular zone and is therefore a use that may be permitted in the zone subject to conditions imposed by the local government; or
b) determine that the use may be consistent with the objectives of a particular zone and advertise under clause 64 of the deemed provisions before considering an application for development approval for the use of the land; or
c) determine that the use is not consistent with the objectives of a particular zone and is therefore not permitted in the zone.
The land use is considered to be consistent with the objectives of the ‘Rural/Mining’ zone.
In accordance with Clause 18(4) of the LPS2, the Shire has determined that advertising the proposal to surrounding landowners is necessary to determine the application in accordance with the Scheme.
Additionally, Table 5 of Local Planning Scheme No. 2 (LPS2) sets out development standards for specific land uses under the Scheme, including requirements for setbacks, plot ratio, landscaping, and car parking. As “Workforce Accommodation” is not specifically listed within Table 5, guidance must be drawn from comparable land uses, such as “Hotel/Tavern.”
Based on this comparison, the proposed development does not meet the applicable parking requirements. The “Hotel/Tavern” standard requires one parking bay per bed, totalling 36 bays. However, only 15 parking bays are proposed on-site, resulting in a shortfall relative to the benchmark requirement.
If you have any queries regarding the application, please contact the Shire of Yilgarn’s administration office.
22 June 2026
Ben Forbes
Chief Executive Officer
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