South Gnangara residents upset at exclusion from urban development

RESIDENTS in south Gnangara are upset at being excluded from a State Government plan to rezone areas in east Wanneroo.

The draft Metropolitan Region Scheme amendment is open for public comment and seeks to recode about 2000ha of land from rural to urban deferred.

Sydney Road residents Heather and Stan Townsend said their property was included for rezoning under the draft northwest sub-regional planning framework and were unsure why it was not included in the amendment.

They organised a petition in September, which garnered about 60 signatures from residents who supported urban deferment.

“Residents would like to be rezoned urban deferred as they would like the same advantages as neighbouring areas, in that if they want to subdivide their block they are allowed,” Mrs Townsend said.

“No valid reason is being given as to why we are not being included in the MRS.”

She said Gnangara had lost its “idyllic lifestyle” since the establishment of the industrial area at the corner of Sydney and Ocean Reef roads.

“South Gnangara is not the paradise it once was and never will be again,” she said.

“The impact of remaining special rural will be increased devaluation of our properties.

“We are going to be left as a buffer zone, sandwiched between industry, major roads and urbanisation, which nobody will want to buy.”

Mrs Townsend believed the rezoning would give residents options for their land.

“The WA Planning Commission has told us that it will take years to come to fruition so residents do not have to panic if they are not thinking of selling their properties at the moment,” she said.

Commission chair Eric LumsdenOK said the amendment was based on more comprehensive planning and site analysis information than the framework.

“More detailed environmental analysis has resulted in a proposal to remove a small number of lots from the rezoning and to retain them for non-urban uses,” he said.

He encouraged residents to provide feedback on the proposal, which is open for public comment until July 8.

“After advertising, the WAPC will consider all submissions received when making a final recommendation on the amendment to the Minister for Planning.”