Developer Joel Saraceni says campaign against Gnarabup resort plan relies on ‘misinformation’

The developer of a proposed resort at Gnarabup has hit back at the campaign against it, describing the Preserve Gnarabup website as “misinformation”.

Project manager Luke Saraceni told the Times he understood feelings were high around the coastal site during the most recent environmental review process, which wrapped late last month.

However, he also noted the land at Gnarabup for the proposed Westin Margaret River Spa & Resort had been identified by the State Government as a tourism node for more than 20 years.

“Our development plans haven’t changed, and while the delays over the past three years have definitely been frustrating, tourism demand and housing pressures in the region have only kept growing during this time,” Mr Saraceni told the Times.

“The truth about our project and the land it sits on just doesn’t fit the ‘no development’ story that the leaders of the Preserve Gnarabup group are pushing.

“There’s a lot of misinformation about our project on their website and social media.”

Mr Saraceni said people unfamiliar with the area might mistakenly think the resort plan would take over the beach.

He believed Surfrider Margaret River portrayed the project in a deliberately contentious manner to “provoke reactions”.

“Community consultations play a crucial role in the planning process, and I’ve seen firsthand how community input can lead to much better outcomes,” Mr Saraceni said.

“However, when a vocal, organised group spreads misinformation just to block development on land that’s been zoned for this purpose for over 20 years, it ultimately does a disservice to the community.

“By rallying people around claims that aren’t true — claims that can easily be debunked with simple facts — they actually fail the very community they say they represent.”

The resort’s environmental plan was the latest step in a raft of public consultation around the project, and triggered heavy pushback from Surfrider, who were firmly against the resort.

Surfrider argued the resort and its associated housing project would bring up to 1000 residents onto the exposed coastal headland during peak bushfire season when there is only one road in and out.

Environmental, geological, Aboriginal heritage and amenity concerns weigh heavily against the project, they said.

While Mr Saraceni said the protesters relied on public ignorance to make people think the beach and overlooking cliffs were facing development, a Surfrider spokesperson stood by the group’s assessment.

“It is unsurprising that the developer is not happy with being presented with the concerns the community has had for 32 years,” they said.

“The concerns have only increased over this time and the increase in the size of the proposed development, not reduced.”

Margaret River Coastal Residents Association president Adrian Wilson said his members remained “strongly opposed to the development as currently proposed”.

Mr Wilson said the the plan, which included a commercial enclave in Gnarabup, relied on clearing crown land to meet bushfire requirements.

Surfrider and MRCRA had recently criticised Shire of Augusta-Margaret River planners for failing to ensure adequate bushfire controls were placed within the draft Local Planning Scheme 2 now under assessment for final adoption by the WA Planning Commission.

The resort and village plan was also facing WAPC adjudication as part of a process initiated during the pandemic forging the new State Development Assessment Unit for projects of State significance.