The final nail in the coffin of the controversial plan to build a caravan a park on a 10-hectare bushland site at Lancelin in Western Australia has been well and truly hammered in.
After the state’s planning minister, Donna Faragher, effectively nixed the proposal last month saying the area – just south of the existing smaller park – should be a conservation reserve, the Shire of Gingin has now admitted it is time to go back to the drawing board.
“This amendment was originally for the purpose of rezoning an area of land near Hopkins Street, Lancelin from tourist zone and parks and recreation reserve to special use zone for caravan park,” said Shire president, David Roe, in a statement. “The Shire is continuing to work with State Government agencies on identifying a suitable site in Lancelin for a tourist accommodation park or caravan park.”
While some local groups such as ‘Save Our Back Beach’ and ‘Lancelin Coastal Plains CoastCare’ were delighted with the news as they have long argued that the majority of tourists come to Lancelin because of its largely unspoiled natural environment, others were not so happy.
The Lancelin Tourist Park Support Group took to Facebook to voice its disappointment. “When coastal towns like ours are meant to be booming and moving forward Lancelin has once again been overlooked by the government on this development,” it posted. “This decision is a massive blow and injustice to the town … our main tourist attraction is our sand dunes with bus loads visiting every day, shame there isn’t anywhere for them to stay.”
