Lester Group ordered to plant trees to make up for excessive clearing at Rapids Landing in Margaret River

The developer of Rapids Landing will have to make amends for the over-zealous clearing of native trees from the back of the subdivision last month. A Shire of Augusta-Margaret River review into the works, undertaken by a contractor in preparation for more houses in the final stage of the subdivision, found the clearing of trees exceeded permit conditions. The clearing sparked uproar on social media after existing residents bemoaned the further loss of the subdivision’s green belt separating it from the nearby Darch Brook. Developer the Lester Group would be required to plant 40 trees in the affected zone “when conditions are suitable next autumn,” Shire asset services manager David Nicholson said. “The assessment identified areas along the fence line where the clearing undertaken exceeded the permit conditions,” he said. The outcome was in consultation with the developer by mutual agreement, a Shire spokesperson said. The revegetation was a win for residents who have voiced increasing concerns about Margaret River losing its character through excessive clearing required by residential expansion. Resident Cassandra Charlick said people expected mature trees and some farmland to be retained whenever possible because they added crucial character to the region’s appeal. “I’m genuinely curious about what the point of a nature reserve is if the Shire then allows developers to rip down trees 1.5 metres into it?” she said. “I’d also love to know if at any point the Shire is planning on protecting any of the paddocks and farmland around Margaret River that contribute to the rural feel that most incomers to the current community assume they are buying houses and moving into. “No one dreams of visiting a sprawling suburbia.” The Lester Group did not respond to Times inquiries.