Council
3 April, 2024
Subdivision rejected at Cooriemungle
CORANGAMITE Shire Council has rejected a planning permit application for a two-lot subdivision in Cooriemungle.
Council received two objections to the application, which sought to excise a house from the a property which will be turned into a Midway owned plantation
Shire planning officer Leanne Maxwell said in her report to council the application was not supported.
“The application for the subdivision of land which creates a rural-residential lot is inconsistent with local and state planning policy,” she said.
“The current and future agricultural use of the land for timber production does not warrant or justify the need for subdivision and there is a greater planning benefit in retaining the dwelling on the land for long-term connection with agriculture.”
Ms Maxwell said a strategic view must be taken instead of responding to short-term land use challenges.
“The proposal will result in the fragmentation of agricultural land and creates a rural lifestyle property in an established and highly productive farming area which is in direct conflict with the purpose of the farming zone and the strategic directions and policy objectives of the Corangamite Planning Scheme,” she said.
Coastal Ward councillor Jamie Vogels said the plantation development for this site was issued in September last year for a 70 hectare blue gum plantation to be planted this year.
“I just want to point out that under the farm zone, a planning permit is not required for new timber plantations – so this aspect has not and would not come before council,” he said.
“But a permit is required for the subdivision and excision of dwellings.”
Cr Vogels said the proposal did not meet the shire guideline for the farming municipal planning strategy and the planning framework.
“The subdivision is being proposed so that the timber plantation developers can sell off the dwelling as a rural residential allotment,” he said.
“The sale of this house is in no way aligned to the plantation or surrounding farm use and would only ad to the negative impacts of short-term land use for timber plantations.
“In no way does it outweigh the impact that this land is changed.”
Cr Vogels said if approved, the subdivision would create “significant ripple and compounding effects” and the use of the land for the dwelling would be as of right and increase the potential for future dwellings.
“Don’t get me wrong, I’m all for housing development and housing for rural agriculture workers in particular; but his subdivision proposal does none of these things and it’s in the wrong location,” he said.
“We are at a key stage as a council in considering the future of agriculture in the shire which is the largest generator of economic output, and food I might add, by far – we need to seriously look at how to protect our carbon efficient farms and farming businesses.”
Cr Jo Beard said each planning permit application was assessed on a case-by-case basis.
“Following the meeting that Cr Vogels and myself were at only a couple of weeks ago in Simpson – which was the forestry and planning meeting which was convened by Richard Riordan from Colac – Midway actually got a chance to present to us,” she said.
“It was pretty evident that their hardwood is specifically grown for expert to China and Japan so I understand there was a reason for us to acknowledge that domestically here in Australia we’re struggling to keep up with demand for wood.
“But that’s soft wood particularly…so I do challenge that it’s difficult to make a decision, to I guess support, the likes of these hard wood foresters like Midway when the stuff isn’t even grown to support our country.”
“I firmly believe we are here to protect the right to farm.”