The Wattle Grove community welcomes the news that Minister for Planning John Day has rejected the proposal to re-zone the rural land at Lot 500 Gavour Road Wattle Grove.

The purpose of the rezoning was to develop 182 residential units for sale to over 55s with the promise of an aged care facility at some time in the unspecified future. This decision comes 8 years after the proposal was first submitted to council back in 2004.

The proposal was rejected by two previous Kalamunda Shire councils, before being adopted by a third council as a result of a legal challenge.

It marks the end of a long, heated debate within Wattle Grove and the Kalamunda Shire regarding the proposed rezoning of the land. 85% of local Wattle Grove residents had opposed the proposal to rezone and develop the parcel of land.

Residents had expressed opinions that the rezoning of the land was inappropriate and at odds with the rural use and low density character of the existing suburb.

They also expressed beliefs that more suitable locations for aged care facilities were available and feared the rezoning would result in other high density re-zonings in the surrounding area.

Local Wattle Grove resident Robert Vletter said –

“It shows that if the 150 or so residents of the area are prepared to be proactive for 8 or so years, it is possible to keep what they care about”.

Whilst the Wattle Grove Action Group applauds the minister’s decision, members of the group also feel for the elderly of the Shire of Kalamunda. Clive Garnham from the Wattle Grove Action Group believed residents of the shire had been let down by their council representatives.

Mr Garnham stated –

“For too long some shire councillors and staff have staked their credibility on their wholehearted support of what has been found to be a flawed proposal. We believe the current council chose to ignore other viable alternatives and delayed addressing the needs of the elderly in our community”.

In the Minister’s decision John Day stated that the proposal was inappropriate for a number of reasons including the lack of reticulated sewerage available to the site. Mr Day stated in his press release to the media –

“…all issues considered, the only proper decision is to not approve the Amendment.  To do otherwise would be to continue a false expectation regarding the community’s desire for additional residential aged care facilities on this particular site.”

In relation to the lack of reticulated sewerage to the site, Wattle Grove resident Sharon Genovese stated –

“The shire was made aware by the Water Corporation that the site could not be serviced by reticulated sewerage back in 2009 and yet their officers still continued to make public statements that the site was the most suitable for an aged care facility as it had all the requisite services which included the ability to be serviced by reticulated sewer. This was incorrect and the shire knew it”.

We hope this will be the end of this matter but don’t be surprised if the Shire of Kalamunda who is hell bent on urbanising our wonderful rural area tries to do something else. Watch this space.

Filed under: Uncategorized | Tagged: Amendment 18, John Day, Kalamunda Shire, Wattle Grove | 3 Comments »