TWO weeks ago Greenfields resident Caryn Rance launched a Facebook page called Fight For A Healthy & Safe Riverside/Greenfields.
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The page, which has so far attracted more than 150 ‘likes’, called for residents to rally together to oppose the development of a 24-hour petrol station and McDonald's, a liquor store and a medical centre at Lot 410, Minilya Parkway, Greenfields.
Lot 410 is 180metres from Riverside Primary School and the Peel Health Campus, 60m from Foundation Christian College and directly opposite Murray Medical Centre.
Through the Facebook page Ms Rance organised a gathering of about 40 residents at the site last Thursday, all opposed to the application which was lodged last year by developer, Urbis.
Residents cited various concerns about the development, including increased traffic congestion, pedestrian safety, litter, noise, odour and health impacts, especially on children.
“Because it’s such a small area it’s busy, and traffic is my main concern,” Greenfields resident, Toni Elliott said.
Kelly Hawkins, who has two children at Riverside Primary School, said a liquor store so close to schools “does not make sense”.
Jackie Sinclair said she felt there was “little consideration for the people of Mandurah”.
“What’s the basis of putting this into an area where there’s going to be financial gain for a few,” Ms Sinclair said.
“We’re just ants on the ground, but we really deserve more.”
Ms Rance, who has written to local politicians and the City of Mandurah, said she organised the gathering “to bring the community together”.
“There’s a lot of people that have been fighting this but we’ve all been working alone,” she said.
“I started the page to get the message out there because when the City of Mandurah said [the development] wouldn’t go ahead, people thought it was the end of it.
“A lot of people don’t know it’s actually out of [the City’s] hands, it’s not their decision.
“We’re not against it in general, we’re against where it’s going.”
The fate of the development will be decided by the Peel Joint Development Assessment Panel on Monday, April 28.
The City of Mandurah has no authority on the outcome, but Councillor Caroline Knight will sit on the panel.
Ms Rance said she had “copped a lot of flak” for her public opposition to the development, but was preparing a deposition to submit to the panel, along with Mandurah MLA David Templeman.
