Residents fight Lyon Group development for 71 homes in Cattai Creek bushland

A controversial proposal to transform more than six hectares of dense bushland into 71 homes in Kellyville has outraged residents, who say the site should be protected for the threatened species that call it home.

Kellyville Residents Action Group members Tim Opren (front R), with (back L-R) Gail Butler, Brett O'Connor, Nola Bostridge, Di Opren, & Kevin Bostridge, near a critically endangered Eucalyptus Cattai at Kellyville. Residents are objecting to a Lyon Group development proposal for 71 homes to be built in the Cattai Creek Reserve. (AAP IMAGE / Troy Snook)

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A controversial proposal to transform more than six hectares of dense bushland into 71 homes in Kellyville has outraged residents, saying the site should be protected for the threatened species that call it home.

Kellyville Residents Action Group members say the bushland should be left untouched to protect threatened species. (AAP IMAGE / Troy Snook)

Property developer Lyon Group Australia has proposed the subdivision of bushland off 60 to 98 Cattai Creek Dr, Kellyville, for the development 71 residential lots, open space and a “future development lot” — despite the identification of 19 threatened or endangered animal and plant species, including the powerful owl and red-crowned toadlet, and suggestions the site is of Aboriginal significance.

Plans to turn hectares of threatened species habitat have outraged Kellyville residents.

Proposals from Lyon Group for the site have been submitted three times before, with ambitious plans to redevelop the area in 1998, 2001 and 2014 being rejected.

Kellyville resident Tim Orpen hit out at the proposal, claiming the bushland is “one of the sole remaining pockets of indigenous woodland — and large Fauna and flora habitat — remaining along the entire Cattai Creek catchment”.

“None of the adjacent residents and community members are against considered, well thought through and balanced urban expansion and metropolitan growth, however this should be restricted to areas of land, which have already been compromised in terms of original native bushland,” he said.

Kellyville Residents Action Group members are objecting to a Lyon Group development proposal for 71 homes to be built in the Cattai Creek Reserve. (AAP IMAGE / Troy Snook)

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“This particular block of pristine Australian Red Bloodwood Woodland, and the adjacent riverine corridor contain no less than 20 threatened fauna and flora species with six of these species either endangered or critically endangered.

“And no matter what the developer or his environmental representative argue, all of the native fauna and flora in this pocket woodland will be heavily compromised.

Mr Orpen, who is working alongside the Cattai Creek and Kellyville residents associations and 137 residents who objected to the development, said the proposal wrongly claimed to avoid areas identified to house protected species.

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“These plans clearly show proposed future works occurring,” he said.

“The proposed Stage two completely compromises the remaining protected Flora communities, which this development application claims to avoid.

“Our community action group is arguing that the entire block of land, as it currently stands, remains a viable remanent of native Red Bloodwood woodland, and if compromised could affect the overall biodiversity of the entire Cattai Creek corridor, of which it forms an integral part.”

Aerial photo of new homes under construction in Kellyville. Picture: Jonathan Ng

Biodiversity specialist contracted by Lyon Group Australia argued the proposed footprint was “designed with the principles of avoid and minimise impacts on native vegetation and habitat”.

“This process has resulted in a reduction in development footprint and lot yield by about

50 per cent from previous development applications,” specialists Troy Jennings and Mark

Stables said in the development application.

“More specifically the proposal development footprint has focused on retaining the entire population of the critically endangered Eucalyptus Cattai population and approximately 30 per cent of the Hibbertia superans population.

Lyon Group Australia managing director Bruce Lyon

“While balancing the development yield with retained biodiversity values the proposal also

incorporates the provision of an improved route for public transport and bushfire protection.

The biodiversity specialists revealed the proposal would require the removal of about 6.03 hectares of bushland within the development footprint.

“The main impact of the proposal is vegetation clearing which is likely to lead to loss of habitat for threatened species and direct loss of some threatened flora species,” the biodiversity specialists said.

Lyon Group Australia Director Mike Milliken refused to comment before a scheduled conciliation conference with residents and council to be held on February 20.

The Aboriginal Land Council was contacted for comment.