A SEVENTH-GENERATION Swan Valley farmer has raised concerns over a proposed planning scheme amendment rezoning rural West Swan land for residential development.

Swan Valley resident Cheryl Rogers was among a small group of landholders who received a letter and questionnaire from consulting firm Element Advisory.

The letter stated the firm was acting on behalf of “a local landowner within the West Swan area” investigating a potential request to the Western Australian Planning Commission (WAPC) to amend the Swan Valley Planning Scheme (SVPS).

The proposed amendment area extends south from Harrow Street to Reid Highway, east of the Malvern Street alignment and west of the proposed future Henley Brook Avenue alignment, where the land currently transitions to the suburb of Dayton.

Ms Rogers said a significant portion of her family’s property falls within the investigation area, which is zoned rural and classified as priority agriculture under the SVPS and Act.

Standing on her property during an on-site interview this week, Ms Rogers pointed out the paddocks and tree plantings that would be affected.

“For us it’s about five hectares including the road reserve, or closer to three hectares if the road isn’t included,” she said.

“That’s land where we currently grow trees.”

Ms Rogers’ family operates a tree farm of about 1700 trees supplying urban landscaping to mitigate canopy loss, alongside a beef cattle enterprise.

Ms Rogers said the land also faces increasing pressure from rising groundwater, which she attributes to urban development to the west.

“We now have hard surfaces built on sand over clay soils, where water runs downhill,” she said.

“To protect the Swan Valley, you would need an absolutely first-class drainage system to intercept that water and deliver it to the river and we haven’t had that.”

She said ongoing development pressure on the valley’s western edge risked rendering the land unsuitable for agriculture.

“You have to wonder whether this degradation is accidental, or whether it makes it easier later to argue that the land has lost its value for rural use,” she said.

The questionnaire sent to landholders asks whether recipients would support a coordinated residential development request, whether their land could be included in an amendment area, likely timeframes for sale or development, and whether they would contribute to shared consultant costs on a pro-rata basis.

“The survey requests all sorts of information about me and my property, while they remain in the shadows,” Ms Rogers said.

She also raised concerns about infrastructure constraints within the proposed area, including multiple gas pipelines.

Running through the Rogers property is an APA gas pipeline installed in 1971, which carries restrictions on development within a 70-metre setback.

“That line is 54 years old and built to a rural standard, not an urban one,” she said.

“Any developer would be looking at significant costs to work around that.”

She said the area is also crossed by other major gas pipelines, describing it as a very busy gas corridor.

Ms Rogers said neighbouring residents who bought five-acre blocks east of her property believed the Swan Valley Act would protect the area from incremental rezoning.

“One neighbour told us he specifically read the Swan Valley Planning Act before buying and felt confident it would protect the area,” she said.

“If land can be nibbled away like this, it makes you lose confidence in how strong the protections really are.”

She said residents in nearby Dayton, who enjoy rural outlooks toward the valley, do not appear to have been consulted, despite being affected by loss of open space.

“They look east over our cattle paddocks and trees,” she said.

“Some of that marketing even promised views of ‘forever green parklands’ and I think that green parkland might be us.”

Ms Rogers said she does not blame residents in Dayton for wanting housing and said the issue should not be framed as a conflict between communities.

“It’s not an us-and-them situation,” she said.

“They’re victims of poor planning too, and we know many people there who care deeply about trees and the environment.”

The Element Advisory letter states that completing the questionnaire “does not commit you or our client to any participation or progression of the proposal” and that any amendment would still require approval by the Minister for Planning.

Despite that assurance, Ms Rogers said she remains concerned about what she sees as repeated attempts to erode the Swan Valley’s rural zone.

Ms Rogers said she has repeatedly sought engagement with the office of MP Rita Saffioti, who introduced the Swan Valley Act while serving as planning minister.

“We’re always told to engage with councillors, and we do, but it’s very hard to get any response higher up,” she said.

Ms Rogers said less stealth was needed.

“I don’t like all this secrecy,” she said.

“It feels like planning decisions are made quietly, and people only find out when it’s almost a fait accompli.”

The questionnaire deadline for landholders is January 30.

APA Gas and Element Advisory have been contacted for comment.

Landholders wishing to share their experience with the survey and questionnaire may contact Echo News via editorial@echo-news.com