Campaigners who fought against the Roe Highway extension say the City of Cockburn’s proposal to redevelop the land into a wildlife corridor is a far better alternative.

The plan, proposed by the Cockburn Community Wildlife Corridor group, recommends the large stretch of land from Bibra Lake to Fremantle to be kept as original or revegetated bushland.

The proposal also includes 680 medium-density homes in Coolbellup, Hamilton Hill and South Fremantle. The council, supported by WA Greens MP Brad Petitt, has submitted proposed town planning scheme amendments to the Department of Planning, Lands and Heritage, and is awaiting a response from Planning and Lands Minister John Carey.

Rethink the Link co-ordinator and Karak Cooby Bushcarers convener Kim Dravnieks is one of many Roe 8 campaigners now pushing for the green link.

Ms Dravnieks, a leading voice in the protests against Roe 8 says the wildlife corridor is a major improvement over the originally planned road, or the high-density housing to replace it.

“They could go with the 1950s approach; Clear everything, put a pile of houses in and deal with the social and health impacts that come with it,” she says.

“But why can’t we develop better quality housing that meets environmental needs, and the health needs of the people in our community?”

Ms Dravnieks says the requirement for suburbs to have 10 per cent public open space, such as parks and reserves, was made when most houses had their own tree cover, which is no longer the case.

“There should be closer to 40 per cent public open space, because we need the tree canopy desperately.”

Kim Dravnieks, Co-ordinator, Rethink the Link.

Curtin University urban ecologist Dr Holly Kirk says if the green link is able to keep 40 per cent public open space, it can act as a strong example on how to deliver housing while retaining “some of the great things people want when they’re living in a community.”

Dr Kirk says corridors like this are crucial for the survival of many native species who find it difficult to traverse urban landscapes.

She says the proposal was impressive and well thought out, and should be strongly considered by the government.

“We are standing at a real threshold right now, where the state government should be thinking about leading the way in demonstrating how we can have housing whilst also having other great assets in the landscape for our urban population.”