[Greens-Media] Community Protests Mangles Bay Marina and Canal Development

[Guthrie, Shane]

Community Protests Mangles Bay Marina and Canal Development

Media Release, 8 May 2013

 
Greens MLC Lynn MacLaren will join protesters today outside developer Cedar Woods' office in West Perth saying "the proposed canal estate and marina near Point Peron is short-sighted." 
 
"The environment loses, and the community loses, by privatising this key coastal area.

"For generations the Point Peron area has been accessible by anyone wishing to enjoy its natural amenity. If the Mangles Bay marina goes ahead, private housing on canals to be carved out of the land will cover half of this area.

A two week appeal period closes Monday, 13 May 2013, announced at the same time the EPA gave conditional approval for the development.

"One of the grounds of appeal that I'm putting to the EPA is that the proposed method of dealing with the loss of seagrass is inadequate. The direct and permanent loss of seagrass within the footprint of the marina is inevitable and acknowledged by the proponents.

"Additionally, the marina proposal does not answer the question of who bears the financial responsibility for ongoing maintenance. The cost of hard defences and beach nourishment has not been estimated. In due course, the proponents will walk away, leaving a cost burden for the local rate-payers.

"Following the protest, I will receive a petition of 8,000 signatures opposing the marina development. The Greens also oppose it, and call on the Planning and Environment Ministers to oppose it.

"The rules are bent against the community protecting bushland and protecting coastal habitat. The public has been given only two weeks to appeal a decision based on 420 pages in four separate reports. The process has been flawed, relying on the proponent's research and lacking independent analysis. 
 
"I have also appealed the EPA's decision. It is contrary to the public open space and recreational land use stipulated by the Commonwealth in 1964.

"A public jewel like Point Peron, which is too precious to lose, should not be developed in this manner, let alone sold to private owners," concluded Ms MacLaren.


Lynn will be available for interview at the rally from 10:00 am in front of Cedar Woods office in West Perth and from 11:30 am on the steps of Parliament House.


For comment: Hon Lynn MacLaren MLC
Mobile 0403 721 951

Media liaison: Shane Guthrie
Mobile 0428 207 007

Office of Hon Lynn MacLaren MLC, Member for South Metropolitan Region
Legislative Council, Parliament of Western Australia
Unit 7, 142 South Terrace, Fremantle, Western Australia 6160
Tel 08 9430 7233
Shane.Guthrie at mp.wa.gov.au   www.LynnMacLaren.org.au