09 Oct Moore River South Renewal of Subdivision Approval
Your committee has been busy lately! Our ongoing attention to the actions of the Moore River Company (MRC) has revealed the company is instigating their plan for the south side of the river. FOMRE understands MRC is attempting to meet the ‘detailed design requirements’ of the existing subdivision approval so that it may be renewed.
• In mid August we became aware that MRC had applied to WA Planning Commission for a renewal of the original Subdivision Approval granted in September 2014.
• A subsidiary company, Moore River Water Services Pty Ltd has been created by MRC. A private company, Aquasol has been contracted by said company to provide sewerage, potable and non-potable water services to Moore River South (MRS). The cost of this is projected to be $25million. Their Water License application revealed there is no expectation of a return until after eleven years.
• MRC are also in the process of applying to develop a Photovoltaic Solar Facility to supply MRS with power.
FOMRE’s challenge
FOMRE yet again has stepped up to challenge the unsuitability of the MRC proposal. Fresh presentations have been made to both the Shire and Western Australian Planning Commission (WAPC). Our premise:
• The entire development should now be reassessed. In the last 4 years new knowledge and rules have arisen. While past decisions cannot be reversed FOMRE contests that all new decisions are considered on current, relevant planning policies. These include SPP 2.6 State Coastal Planning Policy, and SPP 3, Urban Settlement.
• The Proposed Subdivision Plan fails to meet each of the key policy measures for coastal development and settlement in SPP 2.6.
• Massive clearing will be required to meet SPP 3.7 Planning in Bushfire Prone Areas.
Previous predictions not realised
Twenty-five years (!) have passed since the rezoning of the land on the south side of the river from Rural to Urban. The hopes of previous planners, especially at Shire level, have not occurred.
• Guilderton has not got a population of 30,000 – 15,000 on either side of the river.
• No bridge exists connecting the two communities (as per 1992 Shire statements and policies of the time).
• Barely 5,000 people in the whole of Gingin Shire, with projections for 7,000 by 2030.
• In all recent planning policies, the Perth Metropolitan border remains just north of Two Rocks.
This new suburb will be an isolated cul-de-sac serving no purpose. The logical place for any development in the Shire is at Gingin and/or Lancelin, both of which at least have basic medical and educational facilities.
Roger Severn has worked hard to put together a comprehensive submission outlining our concerns, which we have sent to our Planning Commissions and Minister. You will find a copy below.
Natural Values
The latest research has improved and added to the list of threatened species and communities of Australia.
Namely:
• The Threatened Ecological Community of Banksia Woodlands and Forests of the Swan Coastal Plain and
• The Tuart Woodlands and Forests, (in the process of being listed.)
The development site now needs to be surveyed to determine whether these special communities are present.
FOMRE has engaged the interest of the federal Department of Environment and Energy urging them to call the development in so that it can be assessed under the Environment Protection and Biodiversity Conservation Act (EPBC Act).
We have also written to Melissa Price, Minister for the Environment requesting that she call the development in. See below for a copy.
Oh so important to remember…
The real issue in this protracted campaign is the protection and preservation of the Moore River Estuary. This is the last estuary on the Swan Coastal Plain that is anywhere close to remaining in its natural state. Eventually this will be an asset as valued by the people of Perth and the regions as much as they now value King’s Park. The sooner the land south of the estuary is brought into public ownership as a regional park the sooner the estuary’s future will be assured (R. Severn. 2005).
Moore River Estuary remains a lovely place to be, any time of year, and we hope to see you here enjoying the place whenever you can. Even from afar, we appreciate your ongoing support as we continue our efforts to Protect Moore River Estuary.
Please feel free to contact us.
Linda Johnson
Mob 0414 631 273