Applecross residents win two-year dispute to save beloved trees from potential removal near Canning Hwy
Eighteen months after Applecross locals took a stand to save their famed purple blossom from the axe, the State Government has provided some surety to the leafy neighbourhood.
An approved planning control area that paved the way for future road widening of Sleat, Forbes and Kintail roads had put a strip of roadside Jacarandas trees in jeopardy and left residents fearing the “character” of their community would be stripped away.
It led to a petition with more than 1000 signatures and a formal letter from Bateman MLA Kim Giddens being sent to then Planning Minister Rita Saffioti and just last week, her successor John Carey confirmed why the trees would be safe for the immediate future.
“It would have been idiotic not to protect the trees in Applecross,” Mr Carey told PerthNow on January 30 before announcing a new planning control area that excludes private land and mature verge trees previously at risk of future widening works along Canning Highway.
“The new planning control area provides certainty for the local community and will ensure mature trees are retained along key transport corridors,” he said.
“This change balances the need to ensure long-term infrastructure planning can be achieved, while minimising impacts on existing trees along Kintail Road, Forbes Road and Sleat Road in Applecross.”
Ms Giddens said it was a win for protecting tree canopy and the unique character of Applecross.
“Our community treasures its green spaces and this decision strikes the right balance by prioritising local needs, supporting our region’s long-term growth and safeguarding the tree canopy we cherish, both for today and future generations,” she said.
The new planning control area will be in effect for the next five years, a timeline Mr Carey said was “standard procedure” and something locals should not be worried about.
Leading advocate and economist Rhonda Kerr told PerthNow she will be “vigilant” when it expires in 2030.
“We are in it for the long haul, thinking about the people who come next because we love our community and we want to see it continue to thrive,” she said.
“We don’t want to lose the quality of where we live, that’s the big thing we have all fought for,” Dr Kerr said.
“While developers are fussed about quantity and profit, we love the quality of this area and the trees are a key part of it.”
