SAVE Perth Hills has had a win with the WAPC rejecting North Stoneville again but unless Satterley decides to walk away the next part of the process will be a directions hearing in early 2024.

After its December 7 meeting where it rejected the amended North Stoneville SP34 the Western Australian Planning Commission (WAPC) said the next directions hearing in the State Administrative Tribunal (SAT) review proceedings was scheduled for February 2.

If approved North Stoneville will provide about 1000 lots to accommodate about 2800 residents, two schools, a small local centre, extensive areas of open space and servicing infrastructure.

The initial application was lodged in August 2019 and refused by the WAPC in July 2020.

Satterley appealed the decision and SAT invited the WAPC to reconsider an amended version of the structure plan.

Last week the WAPC said it refused North Stoneville again because the amended structure plan did not adequately demonstrate the threat of bushfire risk, including safe evacuation, having regard to the intent and objectives of State Planning Policy 3.7 Planning in Bushfire Prone Areas, as well as the true impact of traffic on the road network.

The WAPC’s decision follows the recent recommendations made by its statutory planning committee (SPC) and the Department of Planning, Lands and Heritage (DPLH).

Prior to Thursday’s meeting, the SPC and WAPC heard deputations from 21 parties, including the developer Satterley Property Group, the Shire of Mundaring, individuals and community groups.

The WAPC said the decision came after more than four years of consideration of the proposed SP34, which included extensive land use planning assessment.

Save Perth Hills called the WAPC decision a win for common sense and called on Satterley and the landowners to accept the umpire’s decision saying it had spearheaded the community battle against the proposed development since 1991.

SPH chair Peter Brazier said the Mundaring community  had stood firm for 32 years and their efforts had been vindicated with the decision suggesting there was a limit to planning when the lives of people could be at enormous risk.

WAPC’s statutory planning committee minutes for November 30 acknowledged the 22 verbal and nine written deputations that were heard at a meeting in Mundaring on Thursday, November 23.

Hasluck MHR Tania Lawrence and community members were among those to provide deputations.

At the meeting WAPC chairman David Caddy declared a perceived impartiality interest informing members he was an office bearer within the Lay Anglican Church – the landowners within the structure plan area.

“Mr Caddy was not present during the discussion and/or decision-making procedure on the item,’’ the minutes said.

North Stoneville bushfire simulation impresses CSIRO (Echo News, April 14) on the bushfire simulation modelling carried out for the amended North Stoneville structure plan Part 3B attracting support from the leader of the CSIRO bushfire behaviour and risks team resulted in letters from firefighters – some in support and others against his comments.

Satterley Property Group was contacted for comment.