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A large development is planned for the land between Mornington Drive, Coogee Rd and Pinjar Rd. When completed, it will link Banksia Grove, Mariginiup and Tapping.
While we support progress and development, we have identified three key issues with this structure plan. If these points can be addressed, the proposed plans could be a positive move for the surrounding existing residents, new residents and the environment.
Submitting a comment is critical if you believe this structure plan needs to be improved.
We have provided a quick and easy way to submit your comments via this page.
Please note, if you want your input considered, comments close on 05/07/2024.
You can view the complete plan on the Wanneroo Council website here.
Current residents should have a significant say in the planning and direction of the suburbs they live in. We live with the changes, not the planners or developers. We are collectively the largest stakeholders and custodians of this land. Our views and voice should be sought after and listened to when it comes to developing and the direction of our region.
Destroying large amounts of endangered, high-quality bushland makes no sense. We are not overly constrained by space in WA, we can grow without destroying the environment and existing ecosystems.
This is not bushland we can ever restore or replace. Once it is bulldozed, it is gone, along with the flora and fauna that inhabit and rely on it.
The bushland in question supports one of our suburb’s most iconic and endangered species, the Carnaby Cockatoo. This bushland, “Banksia Woodlands”, is vital for the survival of this species and many others.
The following content is taken directly from the Wanneroo Council website (click here to view the page):
“One of the Council priorities for the Central-East Ward includes advocating for our residents’ vision of a community that balances demand for urban growth with maintaining and protecting the natural environment. This includes taking a proactive approach to conservation; protecting existing trees and vegetation, and increasing tree canopy cover.”
Surely they would not approve a plan that directly contradicts what is a key public priority for our region.
The advantages of maintaining urban bushland go well beyond the survival of one species. Living close to natural spaces has been proven to improve mental health (source), reduce/stabilise temperatures (source 1, 2), support water retention, reduce run-off and improve soil health.
Destroying this bushland has a devastating impact that spreads well beyond the bushland boundaries. Birds, lizards and many native species will be driven out of our suburbs and in some cases, into extinction. We have an opportunity to do better.
Squeezing a few more suburban blocks into a development at the expense of critical bushland serves nobody, except developers.
While this plan includes a scattering of small parks, it has not been designed in a way that enhances our region at all.
The eastern side of Banksia Grove lacks a quality park that can attract visitors or substantial outdoor activities/events.
The whole of Eastern Wanneroo lacks a regional park. Surely we have enough residents and planned future residents to condone a park that is at the quality of surrounding catchments.
For too long we have been crammed block-to-block by developers who are left to capitalise over the wellbeing and living standards of residents. This same issue is evident in this plan and the previous planning of our region.
With a better distribution of land and parks in this precinct we can have the regional outdoor space East Wanneroo desperately needs, without compromising on growth and attracting new residents.
Is a regional park too much to ask for a region the size of East Wanneroo?
We currently have little-to-no facilities in East Wanneroo that support our residents’ physical or mental health. Young people need things to do in our communities, and the general community needs facilities to support general health and well-being.
We are lucky enough to have been bestowed with four petrol stations, all within walking distance of each other as a highlight of our region (#blessed). We are close to having every major fast-food chain and the big three major supermarkets.
Surprisingly, planners haven’t tried to squeeze a few more corporate entities into this new estate.
We can only assume these petrol stations and fast-food outlets are in place of significant community-based infrastructure.
Our taxes and rates fund these new developments. We are the key stakeholders, yet somehow, the planning ends up serving corporations and developers over the needs of the residents who are paying the bills and living with the planning decisions.
Residents of all ages suffer from a lack of amenities, facilities and poor zoning. New developments are an opportunity to right this issue.
This plan offers zero facilities or light commercial zoning. It would seem developers want to create a huge block of homes to maximise profit at the expense of the suburbs they are building into.
The last thing this area needs is large numbers of small blocks that attract only one demographic. To start improving its livability, we need balanced and diverse zoning and block sizes with appropriate amenities and facilities.
The significant youth and crime issues we are seeing through poorly planned parts of Banksia Grove will simply spread to this area.
East Wanneroo deserves more than “just adding more residents to the problem”.
We have amended the plan to retain 95% of lot 5 and lot 2 bushland, which has been rated very good to excellent. Retaining bushland of this size gives existing species a chance to survive and maintains important bushland linkages between developments.
Retaining this bushland has some of the following benefits:
We would like to see Lot 5 and lot 2 bushland retained at the bare minimum. Lot 5 is the area’s highest-rated, largest block of bushland. Destroying this bushland would destroy a natural resource that would have an everlasting impact on the immediate and surrounding areas.
Natural pathways could be added to this bushland as a low-cost addition, increasing the ability for residents to interact with and appreciate this area.
Lot 5 is positioned so that existing and new areas can benefit from being in close proximity. The addition of pathways creates a natural link between the precincts.
There is a great opportunity to add East Wanneroo’s first regional park. We believe the district is large enough and contributes substantially via rates and taxes to condone a park that matches the quality and useability of surrounding areas.
Wanneroo has Rotary Park (which can be too crowded to park or access on busy days). Joondalup has Neil Hawkins Park. The list goes on. Surely we are deserving of quality outdoor spaces in our own area.
The proposed plan includes multiple smaller parks which we support. However, by reducing the size of these smaller parks and allocating them to a larger feature park, we have created a plan with a regional park. We have linked this park to Lot 5’s bushland and the primary school’s playing field.
This creates a usable green space at a scale that makes the area a true natural asset for East Wanneroo. This would benefit our whole community and much of the northern suburbs. People will travel for quality parks. Event organisers will utilise the spaces e.g. East Wanneroo Food and Fair or the Little Kids Big Day Out, East Wanneroo Markets and Music etc…
We won’t attract events or culture to our area without creating spaces to hold them.
The benefits to the well-being and health of surrounding residents have been covered in issue one.
These adjustments to the plan would benefit new residents but just as importantly exisiting residents and the region as a whole.
This development is large enough to accommodate the area’s obvious need for district/regional facilities.
Amenities that match the quality of Wanneroo Aquamotion, Craigie Leisure Centre, or Kingsway Indoor Stadium are desperately lacking.
This development is central to multiple suburbs and has excellent access via the primary distributor (Pinjar Rd). It is the perfect place to add a community-first facility that lifts the profile and liveability of surrounding suburbs.
This estate could also provide some of the everyday services it needs. A medical centre, dentist, hairdresser, restaurant, takeaway or corner store would facilitate the large number of residents surrounding this area. A pocket of land could be allocated to supporting local business/companies and jobs.
A healthy region requires an appropriate amount of fit-for-use zoning and access to facilities that improve residents’ lives. Releasing plans that ignore this fact is a slap in the face to the wider community and only exacerbates issues this region already has.
Three things are needed for this plan to work:
This structure plan is not fit for purpose in many key areas. We request the council reject this proposal so that a more suitable structure plan that addresses the points outlined above can be addressed.
Once it passes the Council, it becomes much more difficult to change or negotiate. We request that our representatives stop the plan in its current form, seriously consider our requests and concerns, and act in the best interests of the residents impacted and region as whole.
If you would like to see this plan changed, it’s important to respond to the City of Wanneroo’s request for comments.
We have created a page to help make this an easy process. Click the button below to have your say (make sure to do so before 05/07/2024).
We wanted to give our Councillors the opportunity to respond with their views and feedback to this page. We believe a transparent and positive relationship with our local government supports better outcomes for the community as a whole.
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