Already drawing the ire of Perth Hills locals over environmental concerns, a Harry Potter-themed event faces a new headache as the City of Kalamunda probes reports of asbestos found in fill soil used on paths at the public park where the event is set to be held.
Meanwhile, documents reveal the event’s organisers pushed back against the need for a development application for the Kalamunda instalment of Harry Potter: A Forbidden Forest Experience, warning the situation had become “desperate”.
In an email sent to Lands Minister John Carey and Tourism Minister Reece Whitby at the start of April – released under Freedom of Information laws – the regional boss of international events company Fever, Phil Mallet, said the event was “at major risk of not proceeding” due to “arguably excessive” red tape.
Mallet wrote that organisers anticipated about 100,000 visitors to the event over the roughly three months it would run, supporting 40-45 full-time equivalent jobs.
“The project is now at risk of not proceeding due to a last-minute requirement for a Development Application (while we had been informed for months such application would not be required),” he wrote.
“While the Development Application in itself is not an issue, the potential 90 days timeline is a dealbreaker on our end, disrupting our production planning, generating material additional costs, and pushing us into the rainy season, damaging the customer experience and our potential revenue.
“The set is moving to Korea in a few months so Perth and the Hills region would be missing out on the opportunity to host it not just temporarily but definitely.”
Mallet foreshadowed a meeting between the company’s planning consultant, the City of Kalamunda planning department, and the Department of Planning, Lands and Heritage to discuss if an exemption could be granted, or if the application could be fast-tracked to avoid public consultation.
“We believe our track record delivering the event twice in Australia and 14x globally, with robust zero-impact plans ready to deploy specifically for Kalamunda should weigh in the balance,” he wrote.
The event ultimately did not require a development application, with a report presented at a council meeting on April 28 noting that because the site was zoned under the Metropolitan Region Scheme, rather than the Local Planning Scheme, exemption pathways are made available for “certain types of development”.
“The Metropolitan Region Scheme (MRS) provides circumstances for permitted development to occur on reserved land without requiring development approval,” the report to council reads.
“The City discussed the proposal regarding the potential requirement for development approval with senior officers at the Department of Planning, Lands, and Heritage prior to confirming its interpretation of the planning framework.
“The Administration is satisfied that … an exemption applies under the MRS.”
That meeting came two weeks after a special electors meeting was called over the event, where locals aired concerns about the impact of lighting and noise on nearby wildlife and residents.
The city received 256 submissions on the proposal during the public comment period, of which 201 objected and 21 supported the event.
A concern for native wildlife, including black cockatoos, excessive lighting and noise were top concerns for locals.
Harry Potter: A Forbidden Forest Experience features light trails that wind through a “magical” forest filled with creatures, characters and scenes from the beloved fantasy universe.
It faced similar pushback in Victoria, when an event planned for Mount Martha on the Mornington Peninsula in 2024 was forced by the local council to move to a nearby dog-walking park.
Locals flag asbestos concerns in fill soil
The city is also facing backlash around the fill soil used at Jorgensen Park after residents sent off samples to Lifetree Environmental, an asbestos testing facility in Canning Vale, which returned a positive result for the hazardous mineral.
Nearby resident Toni Warden, who picked up and sent the materials to be tested for asbestos, said that as a regular user of the park, she was “devastated” the city had brought recycled fill into the public reserve.
“This fill was supposed to be dieback certified free, but with all the rubbish in it, I can’t imagine it is,” she said.
“I won’t even walk my dog on any of that imported fill for fear of him stepping on glass or asbestos fibres.
“Many regular users of the area have been trying to pick up as much of the rubbish as they can, in amongst all the bulldozing. I found two pieces that looked worrying, so that is why I had them tested.”
Kalamunda mayor Margaret Thomas told 9News Perth that while the City was investigating the reports of asbestos, it was unable to confirm whether the sampled material originally came from.
“The city is aware of concerns raised by a community member regarding potential asbestos in material placed on pathways at Jorgensen Park,” she said.
“The material used on site was sourced through a local supplier and, prior to delivery, had been tested with no asbestos identified.
“In addition, city staff and contractors working on site are trained to identify potential asbestos-containing materials and did not identify any concerns during placement.
“We acknowledge the report provided by the resident. However, the city is not able to verify the origin of the sampled material or confirm that it was taken from the material placed by the City.”
The city has referred the matter for independent third-party testing.
“At this stage, there is no confirmed evidence of asbestos in the material used by the city, however we are taking a precautionary approach while further testing is undertaken,” Thomas said.
“If any risk is identified, appropriate action will be taken immediately.”
Event approval for The Harry Potter: A Forbidden Forest Experience has been formally issued by the city and is anticipated to open in May and run until July.
with 9News Perth
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