BULLWINKEL Liberal candidate Matt Moran has also written to the federal Environment and Water Minister Tanya Plibersek expressing concern over her decision to give environmental approval to the proposed North Stoneville development.

The move follows similar letters of opposition sent to the federal minister from the Shire of Mundaring and Greens MLC Brad Pettitt last week, Greens push Plibersek to reject Nth Stoneville.

“Locals have opposed this development for decades and are worried about the damage caused to the local community and the biodiverse environment if this decision stands,” Mr Moran wrote.

He said the federal minister had the authority to defer the decision under the Environment Protection and Biodiversity Conservation Act but decided against this.

“Your decision could see sixty thousand trees cut down in the Perth Hills. Perth cannot afford to lose that many trees with our canopy at just 16 per cent, the lowest out of all capital cities,” Mr Moran wrote.

“The development will see houses built in a dangerous bushfire prone area, potentially putting lives at risk as the current structure plan cannot demonstrate safe evacuation in a bushfire emergency.

“Whilst more houses are needed in Perth, this is the wrong development in the wrong location.”

He said the Shire of Mundaring made a compelling case against the development stating that the decision was based on environmental surveys undertaken in 2017 which do not account for the current state of our forest after the cumulative environmental fallout of the Wooroloo 2021 bushfire and last summer’s drought.

“The approved offset site is located 184km away in Williams and does not support black cockatoo breeding grounds, raising further concerns about this decision,’’ he said.

Mr Moran said he supported the shire’s stance and urged the minister to reconsider her decision.