City of Swan councillors reject application to clear bushland in The Vines

COUNCILLORS have refused an application to clear native bushland in The Vines after significant community concern.

City of Swan Council voted down item 3.11 at Wednesday night’s meeting to clear 1.58ha of established bushland on Moseley Drive.

The land, which is zone urban and owned by the Roman Catholic Archbishop of Perth, has been identified as a future primary school.

The application states the reason for clearing the land was to reduce bushfire hazard ahead of planned school development of the site.

The council received 15 submissions objecting to the application and stating the land was home to native wildlife.

Resident Sandra Hill spoke at the meeting and said she objected to the application for several reasons.

“When we bought our house in January 2011 we were told that a catholic primary school would be built on the land within four years,” she said.

“When I spoke to the church 12 months ago they said they have no plans to develop it in the near future.

“The area is low-lying and in winter fills up with water attracting several native species of wildlife.

“It’s also quite wet, so bushfire risk would be quite low.”

She said there was already significant dust that blew from the block and if the block were cleared, the problem would only be worse.

“We have complained to the Catholic Church about the dust which blows from the block and it’s in my opinion that is the City clears it, this will be compounded,” she said.

Councillors accepted an amended motion to refuse the clearing of the lot and cited alternative methods to control the bushfire risk should be considered.

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