Background to North Stoneville townsite

The North Stoneville townsite is an area of undeveloped 'Urban' zoned land north of the existing Stoneville townsite. 

The future townsite was identified within the Shire's previous Local Planning Scheme (Town Planning Scheme No.3), which came into effect in 1994. 

North Stoneville townsite was renamed Structure Plan 34 (SP34) under Local Planning Scheme No.4 (2014).

Timeline and current status

  • December 2018: Satterley lodged an application to modify SP34.
  • August 2019: Council resolved to recommend the Western Australian Planning Commission (WAPC) rejects the proposed modified SP34 for reasons of community safety (inadequate surrounding road network and bushfire risk), lack of public transport and environmental impacts.
  • July 2020: SP34 was refused by the Statutory Planning Committee.
  • August 2020: Satterley lodged an appeal against the Statutory Planning Committee decision with the State Administrative Tribunal.
  • 10 March 2023 up to and including 8 May 2023: Amended SP34 was advertised by the WAPC (see below).
  • May 2023: Council resolved to recommend the Western Australian Planning Commission (WAPC) rejects the proposed modified SP34.  The minutes from this Special Council Meeting can be found here: Special Council Meeting minutes - 2 May 2023.
  • 7 December 2023, WAPC determines to refuse North Stoneville revised plans.
  • 2 February 2024 - SAT made orders to progress towards a final hearing for determination of the amended structure plan by the SAT.  
  • From 4 September 2020 until 2 October 2020, the Draft Preliminary Documentation, was made available for public comment by Satterley Property Group Pty Ltd. Pursuant to Section 95B(2) of the EPBC Act, the responses to the public submissions made, the original EPBC referral document and the final Preliminary Documentation is being published for public notification and is now available to view by visiting https://satterley.com.au/north-stoneville-preliminary-documentation-notification-of-publication/ . The final report will be made available until 4/7/2024.

  • A further amended Structure Plan was filed at SAT by the applicant on 14 June 2024. The amended Structure Plan and all supporting technical appendices can be accessed via the WAPC website North Stoneville Structure Plan 34

  • 4 October 2024 - latest directions from SAT can be accessed here SAT Order - 4 October 2024.
  • 30 October - President Paige McNeil issued a letter to Hon Tanya Plibersek MP, Minister for the Environment and Water urging the Minister to reconsider this decision under Section 145(2)(b) of the Environmental Protection and Biodiversity Act 1999, suggesting that the decision may have been made with insufficient information. 
  • 8 November 2024 - latest directions from SAT can be accessed here.

About the SP34 appeal

The State Administrative Tribunal (SAT) process primarily involves the two parties, Satterley (applicant) and the Western Australian Planning Commission (respondent).

The Shire is not privy to the details of SAT’s confidential mediation process. 

The Western Australian Planning Commission reconsidered the decision of the Statutory Planning Committee made on 14 July 2020 to refuse the North Stoneville Structure Plan No. 34 dated November 2018. The Commission resolved to affirm the decision of 14 July 2020 and refuse the Amended North Stoneville Structure Plan No. 34 dated January 2023, for the following reasons:

  1. The Amended Structure Plan does not demonstrate that the threat of bushfire risk to people, property and infrastructure can be appropriately mitigated having regard to the objectives and intent of State Planning Policy 3.7 - Planning in Bushfire Prone Areas and the Guidelines for Planning in Bushfire Prone Areas because:

    • the technical information submitted in support of the Amended Structure Plan, including traffic, evacuation and bushfire analysis and modelling, does not include adequate or accurate details to demonstrate that the risk of impacts from a bushfire, including safe evacuation in a bushfire emergency, is acceptable; and

    • insufficient information is provided to identify that the protection of environmental conservation values can be appropriately balanced with the outcomes of bushfire risk management in perpetuity, including identification of appropriate management authorities responsible for maintaining conservation and bushfire outcomes.
       
  2. Application of the ‘precautionary principle’ in refusing the application is warranted, given that adequate and accurate information to demonstrate that the threat of bushfire risk is acceptable has not been provided.

  3. The true impact of traffic on the road network to provide for appropriate local and regional transport network outcomes has not been demonstrated.

The Tribunal ordered both parties to reconvene on Friday 2 February 2024. At which point the applicant can decide whether to withdraw the application or invite the State Administrative Tribunal to determine the matter in a Final Hearing.

This webpage will be updated as information becomes available.

SPC Agenda and Minutes

WAPC Meeting Agenda and Minutes 

WAPC - North Stoneville Structure Plan 34

More information and contacts

If you have any general queries regarding the process, please do not hesitate to contact the Shire’s Planning department on (08) 9290 6740 or via shire@mundaring.wa.gov.au

The Department of Planning Lands and Heritage are to be contacted directly regarding any other matters relating to SP34.

Call (08) 6551 8002 or email northstoneville@dplh.wa.gov.au