I’D like to take this opportunity to give the community reassurance about what’s happening on-site in the Melville City Centre following the recent story published in the Herald “Fire risk spells doom for bush,” (May 4) and the letter “Bushwhacked,” (May 11).
Both paint a picture that does not entirely match council’s decision at the April 2024 Ordinary Meeting of Council.
At this meeting, council asked for an independent botanist or ecologist to undertake a flora survey and threatened ecological communities assessment in spring 2024 at a 2,970sqm portion of the Melville City Centre fronting Davy Street in Booragoon.
The background to this is the presence of the vegetation on-site, which triggers a classification of the site as containing bushfire prone vegetation, increasing the bushfire attack level for the future Library and Cultural Centre, future land swap site and adjoining development sites.
The intention behind managing the vegetation is to minimise the fuel loading state through the careful and selective removal of shrubs and debris along with pruning in our efforts to activate the area.
No matter the results of the survey and assessment, the City will retain trees and other vegetation with conservation value and the site won’t be bulldozed as stated in the article (“Fire risk spells doom for bush,” Herald, May 4, 2024).
It’s important that we don’t pre-empt the results of the flora survey and threatened ecological communities assessment.
Following the spring survey results, council will be in a position to consider whether the site should be changed to a low-threat vegetation status and associated vegetation management measures.
Following survey results in spring, a site plan will be prepared together with a prescriptive vegetation management plan, which will include the banksias and other key plant species in the area.
It’s important to note that previous studies showed that there are no declared rare flora species recorded on the site to date and the vegetation on the site is not considered a threatened ecological community.
The reason behind completing the flora survey and threatened ecological communities assessment in spring 2024 is because the site has not been surveyed during this period, and we acknowledge this may identify other plant species which may require special management or relocation depending on the circumstances.
If required, the City will undertake a range of mitigation measures including seed collection, leaf litter and topsoil relocation in disturbed areas and translocation of suitable plants.
I understand and appreciate the community’s concern for the vegetation on site, especially against the backdrop of the vision for the Melville City Centre.
In March, council endorsed plans for the development of a new library and cultural centre – the largest and most significant cultural development project ever to be undertaken by the City, placing community at the heart of the Melville City Centre.
Envisaged as a vibrant innovative hub of arts, culture, literature and learning, the endorsed project is set to house the City’s main library, gallery and exhibition spaces, municipal museum, an outdoor civic space, and a host of other core services.
The library and cultural centre has been designed for the entire city to enjoy; it will transform the current commercial precinct at Booragoon into a true hub for the city, providing a lively focal point for cultural activities and for the community to come together.
by KATIE MAIR
Mayor of Melville