YOUR SUBMISSION TO CARDNO NEEDED!

Dear Members,

At very short notice Cardno, the company developing the outline development plan (ODP) for Moore River South Company,  has conducted  a Moore River South Foreshore Management Plan Community Forum Open Day last Saturday the 16th of February at the Guilderton Visitors Centre between 10.00 am and 4.00 pm.  Details were advertised in the Sun City News together with a Consultation Comments Form. We apologise that, with such short notice, so few people could view their maps, which they then refused to leave at the Centre.

FOMRE has collated the following information to address the questions put to the public by CARDNO. Unfortunately they make very little sense without seeing the presentation. You may still download/print  the form that is attached and respond to the Foreshore Management Plan before the coming long weekend.

Moore River South Public Consultation

Our suggestions for replies are with particular regard to the southern river foreshore, to  regulate access to the river and to build in protection for the river foreshore. Also  both river and coastal sand dunes require sensitive protection.  The Foreshore Management Plan(FMP) is the last phase of the approval process.  Once the Outline Development Plan(ODP) is unconditionally approved and endorsed, a subdivision plan follows, and this process will not be transparent; the public will have no input. This Public Open Day, together with your comment form, would have been an important opportunity to contribute, had we had more notice.

The questions on the Public Consultation Comments Form may sound innocuous on first reading.  We ask you to consider them very carefully, and to send in your thoughts.  We would also like you to consider our understanding of the implications of the questions, as follows:

Moore River Southern Foreshore Reserve

The Moore River Southern Foreshore Reserve is meant to be exactly that, a Nature Reserve.  This Reserve sits on the most pristine section of vegetation within the ODP area.  There has been no suggestion of public recreational or other facilities on the southern banks of Moore River in the ODP.  Indeed the government intervention stipulated that the development should be 1,000 metres back from the river.  This reserve is only 800 metres back from the river and needs to be protected.   There is no mention in the ODP of recreational or other facilities within this Reserve, indeed, the WA Planning Commission(WAPC) have followed advice received from the Department of Environment and Conservation(DEC), and requested that the developer considers enlarging this reserve to the south-west, to include more of the Carnaby habitat trees.

If you do not want to see Moore River turned into the next Mandurah, it is most important that you say a big NO to this question.

River Crossings

This is an expensive developer contribution that the developer wants to avoid having to make.  Saying ‘Yes’ may delay the development, but in all probability the developer will pass this expense onto the future land owners, which in turn, will increase the purchase price of the lots.  This is a difficult question that you will have to decide for yourself.  Do you want to delay the development at the cost of opening up the town of Guilderton with its’ river boat launch(which is not coping with demand at holiday times), country club, golf course and other sporting and recreational facilities to another 6,000 people?  A connecting bridge is not going to give the residents of Guilderton and surrounding settlements access to new infrastructure at Moore River South, as there will be no infrastructure in Moore River South until the numbers of residents demand it, and there will be no residents until the infrastructure is there to attract them.  You will need to consider this question very carefully.

Boat Ramps

Mandurah in waiting once again!  The only mention of a boat launching ramp in the ODP is that of an ocean boat launching ramp, yet Cardno does not make it at all clear that they are intending an ocean boat ramp here.  Once again, the developer has, to date, put this feature on hold, on account of the expense of providing sheltered waters for such a ramp in the ocean.  An ocean boat ramp is included in the ODP, and should be provided.  A river boat ramp should not be included on the southern foreshore.

Coastal Foreshore Reserve

The developer plans to have car parks and pathways to the beach by means of developing such infrastructure within several nodes along the ocean front.  This approach seems reasonable.

Any Other Comments about the Treatment of the River and Coastal Foreshore Reserves

There has been no mention of providing restricted access to the river in an orderly and controlled way.  This is meant to be a key component of the FMP.  It is therefore important to make your thoughts about this clear and strongly. 

Included in the ODP is a narrow strip of land along the river foreshore; the dunes, including the Desert sit within this strip.  Bear in mind that at the Public Meeting held last year at the beginning of the submission period, Michael Swift made the comment, that the Desert would be stabilised if houses were one day built on it.  This development does not stop with the current ODP.  The land between this narrow strip, and the lots to be built on, is future development in waiting.  Let the developer know exactly how you feel about protecting the Desert, and surrounding dunes, and also the river foreshore from a massive invasion of people and worse, their 4WD vehicles.

Lastly, FOMRE would like to collate information provided by the public, and ask you would you be prepared to to facilitate this, by sending us a copy of your completed forms?  This would give FOMRE an invaluable tool, should Cardno not appear to have listened to the community input when drawing up the final FMP.  The completed forms need to be received by Cardno by 4/3/2013. We have put together specific points which reflect the FOMRE stance and might be helpful to you in completing your forms.  You could choose points that resonate for you, and, of course, add your own.

To download a copy of the form in Word Document format please click here:
- Download the MRS Submission Form

Thanking you for your participation,

Linda Johnson
Convenor of Friends of Moore River Estuary