More than 100 people attended a public meeting at the Dunsborough District and Country Club which raised concerns about potential population growth predicted for the small coastal town.
Organised by Dunsborough 2030 on September 23, 2020, the community action group informed residents about a planning investigation area which could see a further 1,100 acres east of Commonage Road developed for future housing.
Dunsborough 2030 spokesperson Greg Milner said at the meeting that Dunsborough's population could triple to 24,000 people in the next 15 years.
Mr Milner said they did not want to see Dunsborough turn into an urban sprawl like areas such as Mandurah, Rockingham and Ellenbrook had.
"That would mean an extra 10,000 cars imagine trying to get in and out of Coles," he said.
"We are worried about the character of the town."
Representing the City of Busselton was its manager of strategic planning Matthew Riordan who said nothing was cast in stone yet and that the planning investigation area had been identified for years.
He said it was inevitable that people would move to Dunsborough and that they needed to plan for growth strategically because the area was hemmed in by Meelup Regional Park, Dunsborough Lakes and the coastal strip.
Mr Riordan said the 450 hectares identified in the planning investigation area was on flat low lying agricultural land which was ideal for developers to make a profit.
Speaking at the meeting was Save Perth Hills campaigner Debra Bishop who spoke about the relentless process they had gone through for 26 years to try and stop an area in an extreme bushfire risk area from being developed.
Ms Bishop said the big thing for Dunsborough was that the South West was WA's backyard.
She said that was unique and had value which would connect with everyone in WA and that there was growing discontent about how planning was being managed in WA.
Community members at the meeting showed strong support in preventing urban sprawl and population growth in Dunsborough.
However, comments were raised that people did not think the community had the right to restrict people from coming to the area.
"You cannot come here and say no one else can come here," one person said.
Have your say: Should urban development in Dunsborough be restricted to prevent population growth? Why or why not? Email editorial@busseltonmail.com.au.
