Rita Saffioti, member for West Swan, Deputy Premier, Treasurer and Minister for Transport and Tourism, has taken to social media to criticise a City of Swan motion that was passed on August 14, to defer the approval of a nearly 100 hectare expansion of Brabham, including a high school and primary school.
‘On Wednesday, a Liberal Party councillor moved a motion that will indefinitely defer the approvals needed to get on with planning and building the school,’ she said, referring to Councillor Henderson, a previous contender for the seat of West Swan.
She went on to say ‘I am deeply concerned at Council’s decision on Wednesday night to indefinitely defer a decision to progress planning for a new high school, and new primary school in Brabham. I have asked the Minister for Planning to see what options are available to overcome this hurdle.’
The Local Structure Plan proposes:
• Approximately 43ha of land to be developed for urban residential purposes.
• An estimated yield of approximately 1,500 residential dwellings.
• An estimated population of 4,200 persons.
• 17ha of public open space/conservation reserves.
• An 8ha high school site and a 4ha primary school site.
• A 3.6ha site in the north-west corner of the land that will form part of the District Centre for Brabham.
• Proposed road connections into the surrounding and proposed road network at Youle-Dean Road,Drumpellier Drive, Isoodon Street and to the yet to be extended Henley Brook Avenue.
According to an extensive environmental assessment and management strategy conducted, the report found that:
• The site is predominately open bushland, historically utilised as an airfield (Caversham Airfield) throughout World War two, and thereafter as a Car track (Caversham Racing Track).
• Topography across the site ranges from 22 m Australian Height Datum (AHD) in the southeastern portion of the site to 26 m AHD on the south-west corner of the site.
• The site is classified as having a ‘moderate to low risk’ of Acid Sulfate Soils (ASS) occurring within 3 m of the natural soil surface.
• The majority of the vegetation within the site (46.88 ha) is disturbed and modified comprising native and non-native vegetation in ‘Degraded’ condition, whilst 28.88 ha of the site is mapped in ‘Completely degraded’ condition. The remainder of the site comprises native plant communities, ranging from ‘Degraded’ to ‘Very good’ condition.
• A total of 25.9 ha of the Banksia Woodlands of the Swan Coastal Plain threatened ecological community (TEC) was identified within the site.
• One threatened priority flora species ‘Verticordia lindleyi subsp. Lindleyi’ was identified within the site with a total of five individuals sighted.
• Two conservation significant fauna species were identified as utilising the site including Carnaby’s black cockatoo and forest red-tailed black cockatoo.
• Seven conservation significant fauna species, including Quenda, have the potential to occur within the site based on suitable habitat availability.
• No registered Aboriginal or non-indigenous heritage sites are mapped within the site.
However, in the City of Swan minutes from the ordinary meeting of August 14, 2024 (which can be found here https://www.swan.wa.gov.au/awcontent/Web/Documents/Ordinary_Meeting_of_Council-August.pdf)
it shows the motion that was passed refers to a number of unresolved details, including details of connections to the new Whiteman Station, the Henley Brook Avenue extension as well as a kangaroo management plan.
An earlier motion by Cr Catalano to reject the plan based on the loss of over 2000 mature trees was defeated 6/8.
The successful motion to reject the current proposal was put to the vote and carried (9/5).For: Cr Bowman, Cr Catalano, Cr Dorn, Cr Henderson, Cr Howlett, Cr Johnson, Cr Jones, CrKnight and Cr Singh
Against: Cr McCullough, Cr Miles, Cr Predovnik, Cr Zannino and Mayor Richardson
Swan Valley architect and conservationist Jan Zeck who lives adjacent to the proposed development, in her submission to council said : ‘A pity Minister Saffioti has decided to play a political game instead of thanking the Council for doing its job, ensuring that planning within its precinct addresses impacts and gets the best possible outcomes.’
Jan also points out that there is no indefinite delay.
‘The time before resubmitting the development plan is dependent on how fast the developers address outstanding issues and submit a more comprehensive and resolved plan to Council. Minister Saffioti talks about fast tracking development but, unless all the variables and their solutions are known before hand, this can lead to serious issues like budget overruns and less than adequate planning decisions being made. Perhaps the Minister could make better use of time by ensuring significant environmental issues are adequately addressed now rather than allowing them to drag on indefinitely. The government has had the last 30 years to resolve these issues but has left them to the last moment.’
The councillor targeted by Saffioti, Rod Henderson, told Ellenbrook Times: ‘There’s nothing stopping her from building the school right now, she’s just playing politics.’
‘We’re not ‘deferring’ anything, other than asking legitimate questions regarding road infrastructure and Bush Forever protection status,’he said.
Cr McCullough, who voted for the plan, explains: ‘The priority is doing the right thing for the locals. It’s important to raise issues with the plan, but this has been planned for 20 years, we want to get it moving, without the politics.’
