A parliamentary question regarding the Helena Valley local structure plan 71, specifically concerning the Western Australian Planning Commission's decision regarding a lake and the Minister's involvement. The Minister clarifies their limited role and the WAPC's rationale.

AnsweredQoN 1150Legislative Council
Asked
18 October 2016
Portfolio
Planning

QuestionView source ↗

HELENA VALLEY LOCAL STRUCTURE PLAN 71
1150. Hon SAMANTHA ROWE to the Minister
for Planning:
I refer to Helena Valley local
structure plan 71, lots 2, 3 and 6 Midland Road, Helena Valley.
(1) Has the minister been briefed on
this structure plan?
(2) What role, if any, has the
minister had in this structure plan?
(3) Will this structure plan require
the minister's approval to proceed?
(4) Why has the Western
Australian Planning Commission gone against the Shire of Mundaring's
recommendation to save the lake?

AnswerView source ↗

I thank the member for some notice
of the question.
(1) I am aware of the structure
plan, but have not been formally briefed.
(2) I have no
involvement in the consideration or determination of structure plans. The
Planning and Development (Local Planning Schemes) Regulations 2015 provides
that the Western Australian Planning Commission is the determining authority
for structure plans.
(3) No.
(4) I am advised
the Western Australian Planning Commission took into consideration that the
water body is not a protected wetland and was artificially formed. Priority
was, however, given to the protection and rehabilitation of Kadina Brook, which
is a protected resource enhancement wetland. Consideration was also given to
the significant amount of open space proposed across the structure plan area—a
total of approximately 49 per cent of the site, which exceeds the usual 10 per
cent requirement. I am further advised that the ability to swap land for
development and public open space, as requested by the shire, is restricted due
to the geotechnical characteristics of the site.

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