SWAN VALLEY residents protested at Parliament House last week to oppose developer changes to The Vines and to preserve open green spaces in the Swan Valley.

The Vines Residents and Ratepayers Association (VRRA) submitted reports to the state government’s inquiry into WA Planning opposing the way the state planning system had been used in the Swan area.

The VRRA also worked with Swan authorities such as the City of Swan, Swan Community Environmental Alliance, Swan Valley Tourism Alliance, and resident groups to protect The Vines and Swan Valley from further development they considered inappropriate.

The association is proceeding with a judicial review of WA Planning Commission (WAPC) decisions approving changes to The Vines structure plan in September.

The changes would allow removal of an 18-hole course from public and tourist access, which was a loss of 80 per cent public access according to the VRRA.

Ninety-one homes are planned to be built on the existing driving range and practice areas without checking the existing housing plans around The Vines and future demand for open and recreational spaces.

A two-storey driving range in the middle of the golf course is also planned, which the VRRA said threatened the course’s future and the tourism appeal of the Swan Valley.

VRRA spokesperson Dixon Lowe said the years-long frustrating experiences to save the Vines showed there was no such thing as a “fair go” in the state’s current planning process.

“Our actions target the heart of WA’s planning processes which is structured to reduce the role of local communities in favour of developers,” he said.

“For 20 years the Vines’ resort owners have benefitted from land sales around the golf course.

“With this now complete, they consider the golf course itself to be ready for housing.

“Despite opposition to structure plan changes, the WAPC sided with the developers.”

The City of Swan council previously unanimously voted twice to support community opposition to the redevelopment, and in 2023, the metro outer joint development assessment panel (JDAP) rejected the driving range application citing its piecemeal nature.

“These decisions were ignored by the WAPC,” Mr Lowe said.

“Even the Planning Department reports ignored the City of Swan’s five-point resolution against the changes, and the 89 per cent of public submissions opposing the application, instead recommending approval with modifications.

“The community is protesting because proper assessments were not done, there was no regional impact assessment that would have given a clearer understanding of longer-term impacts, and because this is an ill-fitting planning decision that goes against tourism and recreational objectives for Perth’s Swan Valley.”

As previously reported in VRRA calls for rejection of Vines amendment, nearly 90 per cent of the community opposed the project in public submissions.

In June 2021, owners of The Vines golf resort and country club The Vines (WA) Pty Ltd published a document titled A new vision, announcing it to their golf club members and the media as a $200 million project.

The vision offered to broaden recreational and social activities, expand housing and employment opportunities, and provide sustainable buildings and parks.

For the past four years The Vines community, supported by City of Swan council and many Swan Valley groups, have opposed the redevelopment of The Vines which the VRRA said was a plan to replace the green open spaces with houses taking advantage of high land values.

The community already spent more than $100,000 in donations to stop the redevelopment plan.

The VRRA have now submitted a notice of intent, preparing for further legal opposition of the company if approvals move the development proposal to the next stage.