Speaking on behalf of Nowergup and Carabooda landowners and ratepayers after the meeting, Mark Zagar said they were concerned about the review of the state planning policy 2.4 Basic Raw Materials.
‘Geological research over the past 20 years indicates that vast reserves of high-grade basic limestone for the next 50 to 100 years are available in landforms east and south of the Lake Nowergup/Carabooda valley, and the lands within the valley are essentially devoid of significant limestone resources,’ Mr Zagar said.
‘Even if small lots of limestone were available in the valley, landowners are united in opposing mining them at the expense of the unique environmental and residential values of this valley.
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READ NOW‘This can be a magnificent ‘Swan Valley of the North’ ” the potential for this region must be fully considered and costed before any decisions are made.’
Mr Zagar said they wanted to ensure the State Government undertook a full economic cost-benefit analysis of any decisions that affected the area.
‘This area has huge potential to become a wonderful tourism, recreational and rural lifestyle precinct, creating diverse local business and construction opportunities, on the doorstep of one of the fastest growing urban areas in Australia,’ he said.
‘We are not anti-mining but we do not believe it makes sense to sterilise the valley’s development, and enormous economic and social potential.’
Speakers at the meeting included City of Wanneroo planners Mark Dickson and Pas Bracone, and former Wanneroo chief executive Charles Johnson, who also used to be the Department of Planning’s executive director.