Project Details

Crystal Brook (Wattle Grove South)

Project Status : Complete
Estimated Completion Date : November 2020
Location : The subject area (Crystal Brook / Wattle Grove South) is located within the City of Kalamunda (the City) in the suburb of Wattle Grove and is generally bound by Tonkin Highway to the west, Welshpool Road East to the north.

Background

Wattle Grove South is approximately 340ha and is located within the City of Kalamunda in the suburb of Wattle Grove. It is generally bound by Tonkin Highway to the west, Welshpool Road East to the north, and Kelvin Road, Judith Road, Fontano Road and the City's border with the City of Gosnells to the east.

The Western Australian Planning Commission's (WAPC) North-East Sub-Regional Planning Framework (the Framework), adopted in March 2018, identifies the majority of Wattle Grove South as Urban Expansion. An eastern portion of Wattle Grove South is identified as Urban Investigation. The City's Local Planning Strategy 2010 identifies Wattle Grove South as an Investigation Area.

Concept Planning

At the 24 November 2020 Ordinary Council Meeting the Council considered the draft Concept Plan and Report and a schedule of proposed modifications and resolved to:

 That Council:

  1. NOTE the outcomes of community engagement and public advertising and acknowledge that there are a range of views on the future planning for the project area.
  2. NOTE the outcomes of the Ecological Report.
  3. REQUEST the Chief Executive Officer to make modifications to the Concept Plan and Report in accordance with Attachment 1 and, in addition, include information regarding Voluntary Conservation Covenants on private land in accordance with Clause 11.1.3 of the City of Kalamunda – Local Biodiversity Strategy (2008), publish the modified document on the City’s website and inform all landowners within the project area once completed.
  4. NOTE the strategic outcomes of the Concept Plan and Report, as proposed to be modified.
  5. CEASE further planning for the project as outlined in Option 2 of the Council Report.

See:

Technical Studies

Flora, Vegetation and Fauna Surveys were undertaken during the Spring of 2019. 
Wattle Grove South Ecological Report

Water Monitoring was undertaken during mid-2019 to late 2020. Wattle Grove South Water Monitoring Report.

Timeline

September 2017 - In September 2017 the City appointed Burgess Design Group (BDG) to undertake the Wattle Grove South Feasibility Study. The Study investigated the opportunities and constrains of the area, an analysis of the key considerations for future planning and recommended the most appropriate land uses and planning process.

The Study states There are several tributaries which traverse the site, as well as a wetland located along the western boundary of the site. A DWMS will be required as part of any future rezoning under the MRS, as well as groundwater monitoring to inform the Local Water Management Strategy (LWMS) and local structure planning stage.

Yule Brook, a major tributary, exists 55 m to the north of the site, separated by Welshpool Road East. An un-named minor non-perennial watercourse traverses the northern portion of the site connecting to Yule Brook in the northeast. In addition, another minor perennial watercourse traverses along the boundary in the south-western corner of the site. The site also contains three constructed earth dams and two perennial lakes. A constructed minor drain extends south of Crystal Brook Road to a constructed dam. The site is not within a mapped 100 Year ARI Floodplain Area.

June 2018 - In June 2018, Council adopted the draft Industrial Development Strategy (Strategy) for the purposes of public advertising. The Strategy is intended to provide direction to strategic and statutory planning decision making within the City and to facilitate and manage growth and changes to industrial areas within the City. The draft Strategy identified a portion of Wattle Grove South, generally south of Crystal Brook Road as an ‘Industrial Investigation Area’.

Significant community concern was raised in relation to the potential for the southern portion of the area being identified for Commercial / Light Industry by the Study as recommended by the Study. Significant community concern was also raised in relation to the identification of a portion of Wattle Grove South as an Industrial Investigation Area in the Industrial Development Strategy.

July 2018 - The Study was completed in May 2018 and presented to Council in July 2018 to consider the recommendations of the Study and support the next phases of detailed planning. Council Resolved to:

  1. NOTE the Wattle Grove South Feasibility Study, as outlined in Attachment 1.
  2. SUPPORT continuing with the next phases of planning, subject to community consultation on the land use options as part of the preparation of the draft District Structure Plan.
August / September 2018 - To commence the consultation process, the City undertook two community workshops. The purpose of the community workshops was to assist the City with gauging an understanding of the community’s expectations in relation to land use options and the future planning for Wattle Grove South. Residents in the Wattle Grove South precinct were informed of the workshops by letter. Information on the workshops was also available on the City’s engagement portal.

October 2018 - A community workshop was held on 1 October 2018 for the Industrial Development Strategy to ascertain the views of the community on the future of industrial areas within the City generally. The outcomes from the engagement of 10 and 12

September 2018 on Wattle Grove South and the engagement on the Strategy on 1 October 2018 assisted with informing modifications to the Strategy.

The Wattle Grove South project was taken to the City’s Special Council Meeting (SCM) on Monday 22nd October to determine the next phase in the project. The resolution Council was;

Alternative Motion 2:

That Council:

  • ACCEPTS the community consultation outcomes shown in Attachments 1, 2 and 3.
  • NOTES that community views vary in relation to the potential for commercial / light industry uses south of Crystal Brook Road, with most participants and submitters stating opposition to the proposal.
  • NOTES that some community views support various forms of residential or a mixture of residential and commercial / light industry uses.
  • NOTES the community engagement outcomes in relation to the environmental values of the area.
  • REQUEST the Chief Executive Officer to prepare a report to Council, by May 2019, detailing the process and requirements, including cost, for establishing a Consultative Community Committee of Council to consider recommendations for the future of Wattle Grove South.
Therefore, it was resolved that the Chief Executive Officer to prepare a report to Council, by May 2019, detailing the process and requirements, including cost, for establishing a Consultative Community Committee of Council to consider recommendations for the future of Wattle Grove South.

December 2018 - The final Industrial Development Strategy was taken to the 3 December 2018 SCM for the purpose of final adoption. Wattle Grove South was removed from the Strategy as an industrial investigation and instead noted that the area is identified as an urban expansion / urban investigation area by the State Government’s North East Sub-Regional Planning Framework and identified the area north of Welshpool Road East as a planning investigation area.

At the 3 December 2018 SCM Council resolved to:

  • NOTES the Community Engagement Summary Report, Submissions and Responses as outlined in Attachments 2 and 3.
  • NOTES that at the 22 October 2018 Special Council Meeting, Council resolved to request the Chief Executive Officer to prepare a report to Council detailing the process, costs and requirements for establishing a Consultative Community Committee of Council to consider recommendations for the future development of Wattle Grove South and REMOVES Wattle Grove South as an industrial investigation area within the Strategy pending the outcomes of the Consultative Community Committee of Council process.
  • ADOPTS the Industrial Development Strategy as outlined in Attachment 1.
  • NOTES that the Industrial Development Strategy will undergo minor design and formatting improvements through the insertion of infographics and images, prior to the final version being published, and this will not change the core content, findings and strategic directions and actions of the Strategy.
  • REQUEST the Chief Executive Officer to undertake Environmental Studies to fully establish the Environmental Value within the Wattle Grove South Area.
February 2019 - A motion was raised at the 26 February 2019 Ordinary Council Meeting. Council resolved to:

That Council:

  • REQUEST the Chief Executive Officer to cease investigations into the establishment of a Consultative Community Committee of Council to consider recommendations for the future of Wattle Grove South.
  • REQUEST the Chief Executive Officer to create a partial budget allocation in the 2018/2019 Mid-year Review, to commence the process, and the balance to be allocated in the 2019/2020 annual budget for engaging the services of suitably qualified consultants to conduct a comprehensive community consultation program to determine the level of community support for a variety of land use concept plans that incorporate the following design principles:
    • a) Exclude any general or light industrial land uses.
    • b) Reflect and acknowledge existing lifestyle and recreational opportunities of the area.
    • c) A high-quality residential outcome that includes a range of densities.
    • d) Include an appropriate amount of commercial development based on best practice design principles, including but not limited to public transport, technology, educational, medical and retail opportunities.
    • e) Retain existing vegetation and tree canopy cover where possible.
    • f) Consider tourism development opportunities that embrace the environmental, social and financial aspects of the City of Kalamunda.
    • g) Provide for modern sustainable housing design principles including renewable energy capture, water sensitive urban design, storage, sharing capabilities and smart city initiatives.
    • h) The subject area ‘Wattle Grove South’ to also include the land to the north of Welshpool Road East bounded by Tonkin Hwy, Lewis Road and Hartfield Golf Course.
April 2019 – At the April Ordinary Council Meeting a Scope of Works for undertaking Concept Planning and Community Engagement was considered by Council.

Council resolved to:

  • ENDORSES the scope of works as outlined in Attachment 1.
  • REQUEST the Chief Executive Officer to seek quotations in accordance with the scope of works as outlined in Attachment 
August 2019 - At the August Ordinary Council Meeting the recommended consultant to undertake Concept Planning and Community Engagement was presented. 

Council resolved to:

  • That Council ACCEPT the proposal submitted by Roberts Day for Tender (eQuote) 2019-05 Wattle Grove South Concept Planning and Community Engagement in accordance with the proposal documentation for the lump sum value of $79,850 (excl GST). 

Late 2019 – Mid 2020 – During the course of late 2019 and the first half of 2020 community engagement was undertaken for the Crystal Brook Concept Plan. This included a survey, round table sessions, vision workshops and co-design workshops.

May – June 2020 – During May/June 2020 the draft Concept Plan and Report was advertised to the public. The public advertising included a survey, online open house session and submissions.

November 2020 - At the 24 November 2020 Ordinary Council Meeting the Council considered the draft Concept Plan and Report and a schedule of proposed modifications and resolved to:

 That Council:

  1. NOTE the outcomes of community engagement and public advertising and acknowledge that there are a range of views on the future planning for the project area.
  2. NOTE the outcomes of the Ecological Report.
  3. REQUEST the Chief Executive Officer to make modifications to the Concept Plan and Report in accordance with Attachment 1 and, in addition, include information regarding Voluntary Conservation Covenants on private land in accordance with Clause 11.1.3 of the City of Kalamunda – Local Biodiversity Strategy (2008), publish the modified document on the City’s website and inform all landowners within the project area once completed.
  4. NOTE the strategic outcomes of the Concept Plan and Report, as proposed to be modified.
  5. CEASE further planning for the project as outlined in Option 2 of the Council Report.

 January 2021 – The Concept Plan and Report was updated in accordance with Council’s resolution at the November 2020 Ordinary Council Meeting. 

Project Images

Wattle Grove South Project Area Map

Related Documents

Contact Information

For further information on this project please contact the City's Strategic Planning Services during office hours:
Telephone: (08) 9257 9807
Email: enquiries@kalamunda.wa.gov.au

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