Plans for a park around the iconic King Neptune statue in Two Rocks are moving forward, even as a local group pushes for heritage listing. The 10-metre-high limestone statue, built in 1981 as part of the now-defunct Atlantis Marine Park, has been a landmark for decades. Developer Adrian Fini, who owns the land, says a statue heritage trail is a key feature of the proposed development, with over a hectare of public open space planned around the statue.
The local group, led by Ms Benkendorf, fears a proposed $16 million shopping centre, including a Woolworths supermarket, will obscure the statue and diminish the area's heritage value. They collected over 1,000 signatures on a petition, tabled in WA parliament in February, calling for a heritage assessment. The statue has been on the state heritage register's assessment list since 2003, but processing could take years due to a backlog of over 600 sites.
Planning authorities have deferred a decision on the supermarket placement until early May, citing unresolved heritage concerns. The City of Wanneroo has listed the statue as a Category 2 site of considerable significance but approved the structure plan for commercial development. Ms Benkendorf expressed disappointment, saying the city failed to represent the community's voice.
Developer Adrian Fini maintains that the development will improve access to the statue for the first time in 30 years. Woolworths has agreed to participate in creating the heritage walk. The Metro Outer Joint Development Assessment Panel will consider heritage aspects in their final decision.
