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Satterley’s most controversial housing estate faces 11th-hour delay
Australia’s biggest private land developer and WA’s Anglican Church have again delayed their plan to build a sprawling estate in the Perth Hills, as the community opposing them gears up for the fight of a lifetime.
Satterley Property Group had been due to lodge legal papers to the State Administrative Tribunal this week appealing the WA Planning Commission’s December 2023 rejection of its proposed North Stoneville estate.
Greens founder Bob Brown travelled from Tasmania to attend the Save Perth Hills rally in 2023.Credit: Zac Williams/ZW Photography
Satterley’s 1000-lot plan failed to address bushfire and traffic concerns, the peak planning body determined.
It was the second time the plan was rejected.
Last week Satterley’s lawyers had called for a last-minute delay in this week’s lodging, prompting a rapidly convened directions hearing last Friday in the State Administrative Tribunal, which gave Satterley until October 4.
Satterley has been attempting to establish the estate on 535 hectares owned by the diocese since 2016 when the church recruited him to develop a town site for 2800 people, three schools and a 193-hectare conservation area.
The latest delay follows lawyers for Satterley arguing that the planning appeal should wait for federal environment approval.
Federal Environment Minister Tanya Plibersek must decide on the application to clear habitat for endangered black cockatoos on the subject site, and buy land elsewhere for conservation to offset this habitat loss.
The lawyers have stated that if Plibersek refuses the application under federal environment law, which protects black cockatoos, it would likely kill off the whole plan.
The federal government has been sitting on this application since 2018, though the latest news is that a decision is due on September 18.
Save Perth Hills chair Peter Brazier said the action group was preparing a powerful legal case to justify being able to intervene as an official party in the state tribunal hearing for the planning appeal, which is scheduled for 2025 and is touted to be Satterley’s final chance.
The subject site. Credit: Google Maps
If successful the community group would be only the third external group in almost 20 years to be accepted in this type of hearing.
“Satterley needs to prove to Plibersek it can offset its planned destruction of around 200 hectares of forest and bush, including endangered black cockatoo habitat, at Stoneville by purchasing similar land, which Satterley has chosen in the Shire of Williams, 180 kilometres from Stoneville,” Brazier said.
“SAT senior member Stephen Willey expressed empathy [on Friday] for our community’s plight, adding it’s not only our community frustrated by Satterley’s continual delays.”
Brazier said though the tribunal approved a delay until October 4, Willey made it clear it would most likely not entertain further delays.
Satterley was contacted for comment.
Earlier this year, lawyer Alex McGlue made it clear in the SAT that Satterley would not abandon its pursuit of a housing estate in North Stoneville.