Shire of Harvey pushes controversial housing development along Forrest Highway back to the drawing board

Shire of Harvey councillors have voted to push on with a controversial housing development in the South West, aiming to add more than 100 new properties to the region, but it will need to be redesigned. During December’s ordinary council meeting, councillors voted to request that the developer of Lot 401 Forrest Highway Roelands redesign their proposal amid community backlash. The proposal would have added 191 new small residencies to the area, but councillors argued its design was not conducive to the existing estate next to the proposed development. Meadow Landing resident Gary Favell, who would be living near the proposed development, said he spoke for his whole street in opposition to the project. He said Warburton Street would see traffic increase from 54 vehicles to just under 1600 vehicles per day if the development was allowed to go ahead. “This development is not going to be a solve for our affordable housing — it is going to be a blight on our landscape,” he said. Fellow Meadow Landing resident Dennis Earnshaw said the proposal did not match the identity of the area, and it had no vision, no amenity and no infrastructure to support it. “Treendale East represents the best type of outcome, one that integrates growth while protecting character, amenity and sustainability,” he said. “Lot 401 doesn’t even register on good planning outcome. “We can do better.” Cr John Bromham said the discussion around sewerage and housing availability were both “red herrings” and the approval should come down to the project’s amenity. “Looking at amenity, public open space, traffic management of the increase in traffic that would be created by this subdivision without any real essence in this development as in East Treendale, I believe this would be detrimental to the community,” he said. Cr Alicia Hitchcock said the proposal was not compatible with the rest of Meadow Landing or the surrounding suburbs. “The fact that there is no bus service, no footpaths and no safe way to cross Forrest Highway safely does not reduce car dependence,” she said. “People don’t buy their first home in Meadow Landing — they buy their forever home.” Cr Craig Carbone said while it was a tough decision, he wanted to refuse the project altogether. “Quite frankly, to kick this down the road and leave the residents and the developer hanging, to go through another extended process — for something that we ultimately have no say over, I think we should just refuse it now and send it to the WA Planning Commission,” he said. Shire president Michelle Campbell acknowledged the intent to deliver more houses, and said if the project was allowed to go through in its current form, it did not represent proper planning. “I believe it requires further modification,” she said. “The proposal in its current form would not meet the objectives of a liveable neighbourhood as this would create a pocket of high-density development within a low-density area.” The vote to push the project back to the developer passed 6-3, with Cr Carbone, Cr Robyn Coleman and Cr Tiny Holly voting against it.