Wattle Grove residents rally against ‘beacon of death’ funeral home, Seasons, over ‘mental health’ concerns

A Perth mayor has declared NIMBYism is “alive and well” after residents in the eastern suburbs rallied against the building of a funeral home, claiming it would be an “inescapable beacon of death”. A group of Wattle Grove residents have joined forces to oppose the Seasons Funeral parlour and headquarters proposed for the main street, claiming it would “haunt” them every day. But Seasons boss Vanessa Wilson, while acknowledging the community’s concerns, said: “We have a calling to provide a service to the community to help those who are on their grief journey.” City of Kalamunda Mayor Margaret Thomas also hit back, saying NIBMYism was “alive and well in the Hills and everywhere”. Ms Thomas said councillors wanted to take residents’ concerns on board but needed to assess each development on its planning merits — or else be overruled by the State Administrative Tribunal or State planners. “We do listen to our residents who we want them to be happy. But we also see the big picture in that these are the rules,” she said. Save Wattle Grove member and resident of 10 years, Andrew Mullane, told The West Australian that residents were concerned the 9293sqm site was too big for the area and would cause “irreversible damage”. “In short, we don’t want this inescapable beacon of death haunting our everyday lives,” Mr Mullane said. “It will seriously affect residents’ mental health. It will cause residents to avoid the nearby shops and parklands, affecting local businesses and leading to social isolation.” While Mr Mullane said he was in “no way opposed to the funeral business” and admitted they ran a service the community needed, he insisted the service was not important enough to have a place in his town. ”We’re very concerned about the effect it will have on our children and their quality of life,” he said. “It’s going to be the place where they store bodies and distribute them out to cemeteries and crematoriums. So we just think it’s completely inappropriate in a residential area. “We are in no way opposed to the funeral business. They do an important service... but that’s just about the worst possible place to put it.” The mayor, who is also the outgoing Retirees WA chief executive, disagreed the service would be bad for mental health and said parlours were “quiet and beautifully maintained”. Ms Thomas said local opposition to development was leading the State Government to increasingly strip councils of planning decisions. The parlour would include areas for body preparation and fridges, a chapel for 100 mourners, 20 permanent staff and will not include a crematorium. Seasons Funerals general manager Vanessa Wilson said the company was relocating from Redcliffe — a residential area it had never had any problems with — because it had outgrown that facility. “We appreciate the concerns of the local community of Wattle Grove, and we also understand their emotional response,” Ms Wilson said. “But we’re like any other business. We have a calling to provide a service to the community to help those who are on their grief journey. “We carry out our business quietly and discreetly. And we hope that we will be given the opportunity to be a part of Wattle Grove’s growth.” Ms Wilson said parlours were common in residential areas, and this facility would feature “beautiful gardens” and an open area for the public to walk through. “There is obviously a public fear of the funeral industry. And it can freak people out. But once we’ve opened, we’ve never had any complaints,” she said. “I think society has come a long way (in attitudes towards death). And there are a lot of cultures in Perth that have a lot of rituals that are beautiful. We accept all cultures and all religions and those of no religion as well. “Maybe it’s just fear of the unknown. I think that’s what’s happening here.” Ms Wilson said Seasons looked at building in the industrial area, but it would have been three times the cost. She said they had ensured traffic could be managed and found, from previous parlours, that they did not diminish property value. And the parlour will benefit existing local businesses such as florists and caterers, Ms Wilson added. Council is set to vote on the parlour in March.