Opposition to a controversial housing development in Perth’s rural fringe has reached boiling point amid dual election campaigns, as politicians from all persuasions jump on the cause.

A recent rally against the North Stoneville plan in the hotly contested new federal electorate of Bullwinkel drew both high-profile MPs and election hopefuls.

Opponents claim having thousands of people live in a bushfire prone area is a huge risk, and would destroy habitat used by endangered species.

Part of the land earmarked for development in North Stoneville. (Supplied: Nearmap)

But rally attendees warned their political guests not to treat the event as a vote-buying exercise.

So why is the proposal so controversial? And how much of a bearing will it have on the way locals cast their ballots?

Decades of planning

Since 1991, there have been plans to create a residential development on land owned by the Anglican Diocese of Perth in North Stoneville.

In 2017, Satterley Property Group, headed by well-known Perth businessman Nigel Satterley, announced plans to build 1,000 lots in the semi-rural suburb for up to 2,800 people.

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The plan stated the development would “fulfil a strategic role in serving the growing housing needs of people of the Eastern Hills districts.”

“Blending seamlessly within the local landscape, North Stoneville will bring new homes and facilities to make the Hills lifestyle dream a reality,” the structure plan states.

The plan was rejected by the local Shire of Mundaring twice.

Tanya Plibersek has been the Federal Environment Minister the entirety of the Albanese government. (AAP: Lukas Coch)

It said the development failed to provide safe evacuation during an emergency, and would result in the destruction of 60,000 trees which are home to endangered black cockatoos.

But last September, federal Environment Minister Tanya Plibersek approved the environmental component of the development application, giving the green light for Satterley to clear the land.

But before work can begin, it must pass the WA Planning Commission, which rejected the plan in 2020 and again in 2023.

Locals say habitat used by the at-risk black cockatoo is under threat from the North Stoneville development.  (ABC News: Phoebe Pin)

Satterley has now launched an appeal of the decision, which will be heard in the State Administrative Tribunal in September.

Bushfire hazard claim

One of the biggest concerns about the development, locals say, is the extreme bushfire risk for the area.

During a recent rally in mid February, the wailing sirens of fire engines could be heard responding to reports of an incident.

A plan showing the North Stoneville proposal on a map. (Supplied: Satterley Property Group)

It’s a sound all too familiar for scores of people who have lost homes to bushfires, with more than 80 houses destroyed in the nearby Wooroloo bushfire alone in 2021.

In its development plan, Satterley Property Group said the design of its suburb was “strongly influenced” by its desire to create “a bushfire resilient community.”

“Bushfire resilience is achieved by providing a defined urban development footprint, framed by perimeter access roads, and minimising the amount of lots that have a direct boundary interface with an identified hazard area,” the plan stated.

Wayne Gregson spoke at the rally, saying the development would put residents at risk. (ABC News: Phoebe Pin)

But former Department of Fire and Emergency Services’ (DFES) commissioner Wayne Gregson said the residents of the North Stoneville development would be at risk.

He said this was because of the number and close proximity of the houses and claimed poor water pressure could hamper firefighting efforts.

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“We should never place thousands of extra people knowingly in harm’s way,”

he said.

“DFES has opposed this plan since 2019 because the primacy of life is a DFES priority, as it should be the government’s.

“We are all aware there is housing pressure, but addressing housing supply must be carefully balanced against environmental damage and community risk.

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Dr Gregson also said the single carriageway road network was only designed to transport a few hundred locals at a time, “not thousands of people trying to escape in panic with fallen trees” in the event of an evacuation.

Environmental concerns

Opponents of the development also cite the clearing of tens of thousands of Marri and Jarrah trees, some up to 200 years old.

They say the tree canopy provides shelter and a breeding ground for three black cockatoo species, which are at risk of being wiped out.

Satterley proposes to offset the development through the acquisition of a site in Williams — about 180km south east of Stoneville — and the installation of about 70 artificial nesting hollows for birds.

Shire of Mundaring president Paige McNeil said that was not good enough, and the council has asked Minister Plibersek to revoke her approval.

Shire of Mundaring president Paige McNeil is concerned about bird life in the area.  (ABC News: Phoebe Pin)

“The minister said she was satisfied that the clearing could be managed by the offset plan within the area,” she said.

“The offset plan is for a piece of land in the Shire of Williams, some 184km away, and our council don’t believe that that constitutes ‘within the area’.“

Politics at play

All sides of politics were united in their opposition to the North Stoneville project at the rally.

Nationals candidate for Kalamunda Lisa Logan said her party was “definitely opposed” to the proposal.

“We should have developments that work within our environment not work against them,” she said.

Liberal candidates for Bullwinkel and Kalamunda Matt Moran (left) and Adam Hort. (ABC News: Phoebe Pin)

Liberal candidate for Bullwinkel Matt Moran said he was “outraged” by the plan.

“I will fight against this development. The Liberals oppose it and we will oppose it in government,” he said.

Liberal Senator Linda Reynolds was also in attendance, spotted speaking to locals after the rally.

Outgoing Liberal Senator Linda Reynolds was one of the politicians in attendance.  (ABC News: Phoebe Pin)

Greens candidate for Kalamunda Janelle Sewell said the Greens had not taken any donations from Satterley Property Group, unlike parties such as Liberal and Labor.

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“How dare they come up here and say they are here for you when they are taking those donations?” she said to the crowd.

Even state and federal Labor representatives — opting to attend the rally instead of WA Labor’s election campaign launch on the same day — said they wanted the plan scrapped, despite Minister Plibersek’s seal of approval.

Candidate for Bullwinkel Trish Cook said she has long opposed the project, but it had not been possible to veto the application under the current legislation.

Local residents want the proposed development to be scrapped.  (ABC News: Phoebe Pin)

“We want that area re-zoned to rural residential, which is appropriate for the level of infrastructure, for the bush fire safety and evacuation routes, and for maintaining tree canopy, which is important for the wildlife,” she said.

‘Not just ballots in a box’

Ms McNeil said the words of the politicians would play a key role in how locals voted at the state and federal elections.

“This is a very big issue in the Shire of Mundaring, probably the biggest issue that we have had,” she said.

At the same time, Stoneville local Cleo Williams told politicians at the rally the community would be keeping them to account.

Cleo Williams wants to hold politicians to account over the development.  (ABC News: Phoebe Pin)

“We rely on you to represent us authentically. We are not just ballots in a box,” she said.

Satterley Property Group declined to comment.

The Anglican Diocese of Perth have also been contacted for comment.

Check out our 2025 WA state election page for all of the ABC’s coverage.

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