It contained banksia woodland, nationally classified in 2016 as a threatened ecological community and rapidly disappearing in Perth. This provided habitat to species including the threatened Carnaby’s cockatoo, the rufus whistler, the western spinebill, variegated fairy wrens and several honeyeaters. They tended to stick close, with some banded birds reappearing regularly over the past nine years. “These are not found in urban gardens; they need bushland to survive and they need these corridors,” Dr Davis said. “There is also good reptile diversity there, with bearded dragons and goannas moving about quite a lot – they don’t do well in suburbs, they have trouble crossing roads, they rely on corridors and they like to live under rocks and logs. "But we keep creating these urban areas without protection and cover. “Even small areas of banksia woodland have important connectivity functions; it’s more vital than ever to save what we have."

Western spinebill. Credit:Rob Davis. But LandCorp plans a mixed-use development including medium to high density apartment blocks. The community, including Nedlands mayor Max Hipkins, are also keen to see development – but want to retain the three hectares of banksia woodland, instead of chopping down half of it. They say 10-11 hectares for development is plenty and that some of the medium density zones could even be made higher density to save the bush without sacrificing infill numbers. Normally, to clear native bushland, developers need a special permit.

But a few years ago new fire safety provisions created exemptions if bush was cleared to ‘protect assets’ from bushfire in accordance with a subdivision approval. LandCorp made a clearing permit application in October and a thousand submissions were lodged in protest. The government’s own Department of Biodiversity Conservation and Attractions warned the clearing of the proposal area would “dissect and result in significant further fragmentation of the vegetation to the north and south that is Bush Forever sites ... [reducing] the area and connectivity of habitat for Carnaby’s cockatoo”. “The validity of clearing a corridor of banksia woodland that links two Bush Forever sites ... for the purposes of reducing fire risk to proposed adjacent developments is questioned, and other means of reducing fire risk should be explored,” it said. Silvereye. Credit:Rob Davis.

But LandCorp has withdrawn this application to instead make a subdivision application through the WA Planning Commission, taking advantage of the bushfire asset protection clause, a move residents characterised as exploiting a loophole and taking the path of least resistance. The residents say the report being submitted to the WAPC on Tuesday morning is lacking essential detail and that meaningful environmental assessments have not been completed. They say it contravenes state planning policy 3, which states that any green corridors linking Bush Forever sites must not be cleared without thorough investigation. They say there has been no rigorous analysis on its linkage function, the likely effects on the local bushlands or the wider role it plays in corridors between Kings and Bold Parks. More than 1300 people signed two petitions last year demanding an inquiry into the process.

Another 2500 have signed a change.org petition asking Premier Mark McGowan to intervene and change the plan for the site approved by the previous government in December 2016. Two weeks ago more than 300 people rallied at the site, with 250 hand-writing notes to Planning Minister Rita Saffioti to save the bushland. Supporters will gather again before the WAPC meeting on Tuesday. Brown honeyeater. Credit:Rob Davis. Campaigner Heidi Hardisty said the government needed to question LandCorp’s advice.

“LandCorp and the previous Government decided from the outset they wanted to develop in the bushland, despite the policy, the science and public opinion,” she said. “The clearing of yet another banksia woodland in the western suburbs is completely unnecessary and totally unjustified. “This reveals everything that is wrong with Perth’s planning laws and the associated decision making processes. “The redevelopment of this old hospital site should be a shining example of 21st century planning. Instead, it is the worst example of infill development, clearing yet more of Perth’s ever dwindling green space. “Their arguments are not only weak, they are false. They can achieve their infill targets, with safeguards in place, without clearing any of the bushland.”

LandCorp chief operations officer Dean Mudford said the development of the plan for the area had incorporated public feedback. “The design of the Woodland Precinct has undergone a rigorous review, ensuring that this is the most appropriate and balanced use of the land,” he said. “LandCorp has committed to rehabilitate all the native vegetation in the retained areas and will reduce the number of weeds and increase the native understory and mid-story species which will provide more habitat for small birds and better protection for ground-dwelling fauna.” He said the Environmental Protection Authority’s 2015 assessment of the plan for the area found that it was unlikely to have a significant effect on the environment. “We also self-referred the Improvement Scheme to the Federal Department of Environment, despite not legally requiring this level of approval. This assessment also found that there is not likely to be a significant impact, the development scheme did not require further modification and therefore has approval to proceed,” he said.

“The Clearing Permit application wasn’t able to be fully assessed due to the bushfire mitigation measures and proposed lot subdivision – these are both planning considerations and therefore couldn’t be included as part of this application. “As a result, a subdivision application has been lodged. The subdivision application process takes these planning considerations into account, as well as environmental impacts, previous studies and approvals, and community consultation.” Planning Minister Rita Saffioti said environmental assessments, consultations and approvals for this project were made under the previous government and the decision regarding the sub-division rested with the WAPC. “While it is always disappointing to see vegetation cleared, LandCorp has advised it will be retaining significant amounts of quality bushland within the woodlands precinct,” she said. It is not the first time the City of Nedlands has clashed with the WA Planning Commission over infill design, with the WAPC recently succeeding in pushing its own extensive changes to Nedlands' strategic planning documents.

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