19 May 2006

Text may be used as quotes attributed to Mr Jeremy Dawkins, Chairman, Western Australian Planning Commission

While greater Bunbury is experiencing high growth rates and increasing land prices, landowners are seeking to subdivide or rezone land outside of the greater Bunbury urban area.

Landowners, developers, investors and speculators need to understand that there are no plans to convert extensive areas of rural land to urban zoned land or smaller rural lifestyle lots.

To address the needs for conservation, agriculture and urban development, the WAPC is preparing a district structure plan for an area north of Bunbury from Binningup to Myalup that will provide a framework to guide land use in the next 10 -15 years.  

The structure planning process is intended to prevent unsustainable urban sprawl, protect environmental and agricultural assets and serve the long-term interests of the Shire of Harvey and greater Bunbury.

The planning process will have regard to coastal, environmental and landscape values, existing land use, basic raw materials, and transport and infrastructure needs in the area and greater Bunbury. 

The townsites of Myalup and Binningup and an area south of Binningup are zoned urban in the draft Greater Bunbury Region Scheme.

These areas will be subject to comprehensive planning to ensure that they develop as sustainable coastal communities, not just outer suburbs of Bunbury.

Sustainable communities have an economic and employment base to support the future population and can be serviced by local and regional infrastructure. 

They are planned with a mix of land uses including commercial, open space, schools and other community services and facilities, as well as efficient transport networks including public transport systems supported by a range of medium to high residential densities.

Land west of the Perth Bunbury Highway and east of the Quindalup dunes is an agricultural area of State significance.  The WAPC considers it essential to retain the potential for agricultural production and associated jobs within the State, the  South-West and greater Bunbury.

The WAPC will jointly manage preparation of the structure plan with the Shire of Harvey, working closely with the community, landowners and relevant government agencies.

While investor interest in the study area and coastal areas of the South-West region has amplified in recent times, landowners and investors should not anticipate the outcomes of the planning work. Investment schemes based solely on the prospect of rezoning and subdividing rural land for urban uses may be purely speculative.

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Media contact: Natasha Farrell 9264 7518 / 0408 955 604