Perth Voice Interactive

A BIG loophole that gives developers freebies in Vincent will be closed.

A rash of recent developments has been able to stack an extra storey on top of their projects by calling it a “loft”.

In recent cases like the Pacific Motel development and the Brewer Street six-storey units, a divided development assessment panel has been awarding a full-fledged extra floor instead of what a loft is meant to be: a little living area tucked away in a pitched roof.

Mayor John Carey moved to ban the phony lofts and councillors unanimously agreed.

The other way builders get an extra storey is for projects to exhibit “design excellence”.

Mr Carey says sometimes they decide to build a loft instead because it’s easier and the result is “a really bad design outcome” with odd-looking “loft” levels jutting out from the top.

Genuine lofts like those built into pitch roofs will still be allowed.

by DAVID BELL