We are a group of rural property owners located in Henley Brook (Brooklands), Western Australia.
Our aim is to achieve a level of parity in line with the surrounding urbanisation through rezoning. The current rural zoning is inconsistent and incompatible with the surrounding residential areas.
Brooklands is a 500 acre WHITE ELEPHANT wedged between Ellenbrook, Morgan Fields and Brabham. It only makes sense from a practical planning and an urban growth point of view that this area be rezoned to urban and that Brooklands is included within the new Whiteman Ward accordingly. It is now an infill area and is more efficient to develop than outer metropolitan areas in terms of supporting service and transport infrastructure, jobs and key amenities such as schools and shops.
NO MAN’s LAND
Since the release of MRS Amendment No. 1036/33 in March 2005 we have been left to rot in “NO MAN’s LAND”!
In a nutshell:-
- as advised by a prominent Perth town planner the City of Swan neglected to include the outcome of MRS Amendment No. 1036/33 within the Directions 2031 and Beyond strategic level framework document – a gross oversight on their part which would have identified Brooklands for urbanisation at the state level 8 years ago. Point being, the City of Swan had a clear mandate to help landowners 14 years ago and they did absolutely nothing!
- no scheme water – we still have to truck in water;
- no sewerage;
- our kids ride their horses at the real risk of being killed (20,000 vehicles per day travel along Lord Street alone);
- our rural streets have become ‘rat runs’ for motorists residing in the adjoining urban precincts;
- loss of horse related income;
- bore water levels have dropped significantly as a result of the de-watering of the adjoining urban precincts and Water Corp taking water beyond what is being recharged into the Gnangara Mound;
- the Brooklands structure plan and special rural zoning restrictions put in place over 30 years ago are way outdated (cannot subdivide or even build a granny flat on our 5 acres);
- depressed property values;
- and to really add insult to injury our shire rates now go towards maintaining the very urbanisation that has killed off our lifestyle.
A very incriminating and disturbing list to say the least which is testament to the reputation that precedes Western Australia as being by far the worst performing state in Australia for planning and development management!
Moving forward …
The Brooklands Private Estate will deliver: –
- additional rate revenue and a developer contribution levy to the City of Swan for much needed infrastructure and the beautification of the Swan Valley thus attracting more tourist dollars. The Swan Valley attracts more than 3 million visitors per year and contributes $421 million annually to the Western Australian economy (2016 – visitor information survey);
- a supply of affordable homes for the ever-growing Perth population;
Australia is now the fastest growing country in the OECD. With the country adding a new overseas migrant at a rate of one every two minutes and 20 seconds, the population is set to hit 25 million within months. Prime Minister Malcolm Turnbull is adamant building more homes is the secret to curbing property prices and that the states should be playing their part by making the property development approval process much more efficient. The dream of home ownership is an entrenched part of Australian culture and for most people that means a stand-alone home with a garden; - urban consolidation with existing and proposed infrastructure and amenities. In particular, it will provide further justification for building Metronet ;
- jobs and less congestion on our roads – as suburbs mature more jobs are created locally which reduces road congestion;
- scheme water, sewerage, nbn and gas supply;
- a reduction in the bush fire hazard to the surrounding urban precincts.
More importantly, it will allow property owners to move on with their lives. We have been prisoners on our own properties for far too long!
It should be noted that over the course of the past several years property owners have met with City of Swan councillors, the mayor, the executive manager planning, our local member for west swan, high profile developers and their planners and they have all unanimously supported the urbanisation of Brooklands.
