WHAT’S NEXT

Government processes

WHAT’S NEXT

Government processes.

WHAT’S NEXT

Government Processes

Photo Russell Ord

EPA Assessment

In April 2021 Preserve Gnarabup referred the proposed development on Gnarabup Headland to the EPA under Section 38 of the Environmental Protection Act 1986. In December 2021 the EPA Chair determined to assess the Proposal at the highest possible level – Public Environmental Review.

Once the Proponent has completed the environmental studies and submitted the ERD to the EPA, the community will have four weeks to comment on the ERD and whether it has adequately addressed all the issues in the ESD and whether it correctly identifies the true environmental impact of these environmental issues and any mitigation measures. We currently expect this to happen in the first half of 2024.

Following these Public Environmental Review processes, the EPA assesses the information it has and decides whether in its view:
  1. the environmental impacts of the development can be managed and mitigated and the development can proceed, or 
  2. that the impacts can be managed with special conditions/changes or 
  3. that the environmental impacts cannot be managed satisfactorily. 
The EPA then makes a recommendation to the Minister for the Environment who has the final say on whether to allow the development or not.  If you would like more detail of the documents provided to the EPA to date by Preserve Gnarabup and the Proponent, you can view them on EPA Gnarabup webpage HERE.

Development Application Assessment

The public consultation on the Development Application closed on 2 March 2022 and we understand that more than 1,849 people and organisations made submissions opposing the development. You can read our Preserve Gnarabup HERE. 

The State Development Assessment Unit provided the following update to Preserve Gnarabup. 

“At the close of consultation for the proposed Gnarabup – Hotel, Residential and Commercial Development a total of 2057 public submissions were received, which can be broken down as follows; 

  • Not Supportive  – 1849 (89.9%) 
  • Supportive with changes – 33 (1.6%) 
  • Supportive  – 175 (8.5%) 

It is important to note that these are raw figures which may need to be adjusted once we undertake a more detailed analysis to account for any duplications or late submissions.” 

The State Development Assessment Unit is assessing the Development Application and considering all the submissions made. The State Development Assessment Unit will then make a recommendation for approval, approval with conditions or rejection of the Development Application to the WA Planning Commission. 

The WA Planning Commission cannot make a final decision on whether to approve the Development Application until the EPA has finalised its assessment on environmental impact and the Minister for the Environment has made a decision on whether to approve or not approve the development. The environmental protection legislation has primacy over the planning legislation.

GET SOCIAL

Tell the world about what is at stake. Share the website and follow us on our socials to help spread the message.

Photo Russell Ord