ENVIRONMENT and Water Minister Tanya Plibersek is reconsidering her earlier approval for the proposed North Stoneville development following applications to revoke the decision, including by the Shire of Mundaring.

On December 23 the environment assessments west branch head, on behalf of Ms Plibersek, wrote to Liberal candidate for Bullwinkel Matt Moran after he requested the minister reconsider the decision to approve the North Stoneville environmental aspects of the the proposed townsite development.

“Your request for the approval to be revoked under section 145(2)(b) of the Environment Protection and Biodiversity Conservation Act 1999 (EPBC) has been received and is currently being considered,’’ the letter said.

“As you will be aware, section 145 of the EPBC Act also includes provisions for the minister to consider before making a decision to revoke an approval decision.’’

Section 145(2)(b) of EPBC Act allows the  Minister to, by written instrument, revoke an approval under this part for the purposes of a specified provision of part  3 if: the approval would not have been granted if information did not accurately identify those impacts because of negligence or a deliberate act or omission by the person proposing to take the action or the designated proponent of the action.

Last year the Shire of Mundaring told the Environment minister her approval granted on September 16 would allow the removal of about 200ha of critical habitat within a local natural area.

Shire President Paige McNeil said the  council strongly urged the minister to reconsider the decision, as the significant loss of habitat for vulnerable and endangered species in North Stoneville would have irreversible consequences for the local environment and greater Perth.

Ms McNeil  said the request for reconsideration underscored the shire’s strong commitment to sustainable environmental practices and preserving the unique biodiversity that define the Perth Hills.

“The Mundaring Shire council and community are gravely concerned about the North Stoneville development’s significant impact on local biodiversity, including the loss of 60,000 trees which are a critical breeding habitat for the endangered Carnaby’s, Baudin’s and vulnerable forest red tailed black cockatoos,” she said.

“We are deeply disappointed with the decision that has been based on environmental survey’s undertaken seven years ago and believe that serious consideration must be given to the current condition of the forest that has been impacted by the cumulative environmental fall out of the Wooroloo 2021 bushfire and the 2022-23 summer drought.”

North Stoneville hearing adjourned reported Save Perth Hills (SPH) was seeking to intervene in the SAT hearing under section 37(3) of the State Administrative Tribunal Act 2004.

On February 4 SPH will present its intervention bid to SAT, seeking to have third party participation in Satterley’s 2025 appeal hearing.

New deadline set for Satterley reported that anyone giving evidence to SAT usually needed to prepare a witness statement of their evidence.