Perth Hills planning - can the fire risk be managed as new residential subdivisions roll out?
In the Perth Hills the risk of bushfires is very real. WA's Planning Minister Rita Saffioti has recently been under scrutiny for giving the green light to a planned housing subdivision in Mount Helena, despite WA's fire-fighting agency warning that the development posed a "catastrophic" fire risk. Another much larger development is also being planned at North Stoneville. In 2014 a fire ripped through Parkerville, Stoneville and Mount Helena destroying 57 homes and damaging many others. Perth's ongoing urban sprawl means the Perth Hills is certainly not the only area that faces bushfire challenges, but there's no doubt it's one of the highest risk bushfire prone areas. So can those risks be adequately managed in the Perth Hills? Many existing locals are concerned about the impact new residential developments in the area will have on existing infrastructure, the environment and their way of life.
Listen to the show here.