DESPITE 14 fourteen years of community opposition, Planning Minister John Day has approved the rezoning of 14ha of virgin bushland in Kiara for urban development.
The bushland is home to the threatened Carnaby's black cockatoos, rainbow bee-eaters, kangaroos and 150 species of flora.
Mr Day has indicated that 30 per cent of the bushland would be retained as public open space.
However, Western Region Environment Network chairman Wayne Monks labelled the decision a "bloody disgrace" and said the clearing of virgin bushland was fast destroying Perth's biodiversity.
"If they keep going the way they're going there will be no bushland left for our native flora and fauna," he said.
Swan Hills MLA Frank Alban, who wrote to Mr Day seeking support for the rezoning, said population growth had made the need for the site's development urgent.
"This site has become a dumping ground for cars; it's been a wasted opportunity. We have short terms in politics and I'd like to see things happen," he said.
Save Kiara Bushland group member Linda Atkins oksaid Mr Day's decision was devastating.
"There are a lot of birds, kangaroos and bobtail lizards in that area; once the bulldozers come in they won't have a chance," she said.
"So much virgin bushland has been cleared around Bassendean and the ironic thing is that they're frantically going around planting trees."
Mr Day reached his decision despite expert advice the bushland and its wetland area were environmentally significant.
He gave the amendment the go ahead after the Environment Protection Authority (EPA) and an independent Hearings Committee carried out investigations for the landowner, the Department of Housing.
The EPA advised the department that the site had "significant values as a local bushland area and for its wetland and upland biodiversity values."
The Hearings Committee said the bushland was regionally significant and recommended the site not be zoned for urban development, but rather be considered for Bush Forever classification.
Mr Day said the development would include up to 100 residential dwellings and that the first release was expected about October of next year.
Urban Bushland Council of WA president Mary Gray said the decision marked "a failure in democracy" and "a significant loss to the community as well as the environment".
Kirsten Tullis and Paul Hamilton, founders of the Save Kiara Bushland group, said they had been left disillusioned by the 14-year ordeal.
"It was a treasure island of bush in a sea of rooftops and roads and now the Government will profit at the expense of local people and the environment," Ms Tullis said.
"Money makes the decisions, which to my mind seems absurd, but I guess from their perspective they made the right decision," Mr Hamilton said.
"You do leafleting, you do knocking on doors and in a sense after 14 years you run out of steam. I guess we didn't bang the drum hard enough."
In 1996 and 1998, two similar amendments were rejected after residents made clear they wanted to keep the site as bushland.