Mining billionaire Gina Rinehart loses bid for rooftop helipad on company headquarters

A bid by mining magnate Gina Rinehart to construct a rooftop helipad at the Perth headquarters of her company has been rejected by local councillors.

City of Perth councillors backed recommendations from planning officials and voted six to two in opposing the application at a council meeting last night.

Rinehart, the richest person in Australia, had sought to include a helipad designed to hold a Bell 429 helicopter on top of Hancock Prospecting's revamped headquarters in West Perth.

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Hancock said the helipad would be used only a maximum of 12 times every year.

Noise impact from the helicopter would be limited to a few minutes during landing and take-off, the company said.

But council planning chiefs decided to oppose the application, arguing noise levels could not be eased and the helipad would impact nearby residential land.

Among the councillors who voted for a motion against the application was Lord Mayor Bruce Reynolds.

He told the meeting that Rinehart was an "amazing Australian", but backed planners' concerns about noise and environmental impacts.

A Hancock Prospecting spokesperson said the outcome of the meeting was disappointing and the company would consider further options.

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They pointed to a telephone poll conducted by the 6PR radio station in Perth last week that showed strong public backing for the helipad proposal.

The spokesperson also restated the company's stance that public safety would not be impacted and environmental impacts would be kept to a minimum.

"Independent technical assessments confirmed noise would not exceed existing ambient noise levels for the area, in fact, even reaching the highest current ambient noise level would occur for less than one minute per month – and only during daytime hours," they said.

"Other expert technical reports addressing aviation safety and wind downwash confirm the helipad can operate safely and appropriately within the existing and future inner-city context."

The spokesperson said Perth had missed an opportunity to showcase itself as a global mining and business hub, arguing other international cities had helipads.

"Rooftop helipads are commonplace in major and premier CBDs around the world including New York, London and Tokyo."

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