Point Peron rezone has community in a huff

There's a proposal to rezone Mangles Bay into a canal marina for real estate development.

Hands Off Point Peron Spokesperson Dawn Jecks said the people have spoken, and want to throw out any proposals to rezone public parkland at Point Peron. 

The Western Australian Planning Commission met on 23 August 2017 to consider the proposal to rezone public parkland at Point Peron and Mangles Bar Marina under MRS Amendment 1280/41.

According to the state planning website the amendment seeks to rationalise various zones and reserves and Bush Forever Site 355 to facilitate the development of a tourist based marina.

The changes would see the public parkland converted into a canal marina for private housing development.

On October 10 2017 the WAPC presented their report and recommendations to Planning Minister Rita Saffioti.

Later in the same month a representative to Minister Saffioti sought more information about the change. 

It was found 496 public submissions were made to the commission in relation to the proposed changes.

While speaking at the Legislative Council Hon. Steven Dawson said of the 496 submitted responses 430 people opposed the amendment. 

“The results are in and the people have spoken loud and clear," Hands Off Point Peron spokesperson Dawn Jecks said.  

She said while the report was handed down last October we are yet to hear what the Government plans to do and the Minister has so far refused to disclose the report.

"There is no doubt as to what the WA people want, with a massive 87% of written submissions and 96% of oral submissions to the WAPC opposed to the proposed rezoning of our Point Peron public land for this canal marina private housing development," she said.  

The land in question was originally handed over to the State by the Commonwealth in 1968, subject to existing leases and subject also to "the future use of the area being restricted to a reserve for recreation and/or park lands."

There are calls from a number of community groups to stop consideration of amending the current land.

According to the Cape Peron Coastal Parks website surveys of Chinese tourists show 64% want 'unspoilt nature'.

The groups' recent 'Important Issues Regarding the Proposed Mangles Bay Marina Canal Estate on Peron Point' report touched on a number of planning, environmental and economic issues raised by proposed changes to the site.

The report includes concerns about the loss of public beaches around the area and dolphins that breed and feed in the Mangles Bay area will be threatened by the destruction of seagrass and the introduction of 500 more boats.

A public meeting will be held at the Gary Holland Centre in Rockingham on January 17 for the community to hear about the alternative Cape Peron Coastal Park Community Vision for the area. 

"It’s time for the Government to reject the proposal once and for all and get behind the community vision for the area, which is in keeping with the original intention for the land as per the 1964 Point Peron Land Transfer Agreement," Dawn Jecks said.