General News
2 November, 2022
Shire approves workers accom’
CORANGAMITE Shire councillors voted to approve a planning application for rural worker accommodation, going against the planning officer’s recommendation.
CORANGAMITE Shire councillors voted to approve a planning application for rural worker accommodation, going against the planning officer’s recommendation.
The planning permit application for the construction of rural worker accommodation on Togni’s Road, Ecklin South was approved at the October Ordinary Meeting of Council.
Shire planning officer Melanie Oborne said in her report to council said the application was for use and development of land for rural worker accommodation within one kilometre of land subject to an application for a permit for a wind energy facility.
The proposed Mumblin Wind Farm has not received approval as of yet, and the local community remains heavily opposed to its construction.
Ms Oborne said one objection was receivedto the proposal for the accommodation, with the key issues being:
Land use conflict; and
Amenity impacts on future occupants (noise and shadow flicker.
“The proposed accommodation will be used to attract worker to the agricultural property which is currently run by the landowner who is a sole operator,” Ms Oborne said.
“The landowner wants more flexibility in the operation of their beef cattle enterprise so they can be absent from the property without impacting on agricultural outputs.
“The proposed worker accommodation will be able to host a maximum of six employees at any one time, but is mainly to attract a couple, small family or individual.”
Ms Oborne said the objector requested should council decide to approve the application, any permit issued should be subject to condition requiring the landowner enter into a Section 173 Agreement acknowledging the rural accommodation was within one kilometre of the proposed wind far, and “if the wind energy facility becomes operational that the amenity of the rural accommodation may be affected”.
“The application proposes rural worker accommodation approximately 100 metres from the neighbouring land which is subject to a permit for a wind energy facility,” she said.
“The application fails to satisfactorily justify the citing of the accommodation over other locations on the property or demonstrate that the accommodation is to be designed to avoid or reduce noise flicker and shadow flicker impacts from the operation of the windenergy facility.”
Cr Kate Makin moved an alternate motion to approve the application, which Cr Jo Beard seconded.
“I found this application was a very difficult decision as we are continually being told to assess the application on the here and now and not what may happen in the future,” CrMakin said.
“So here and now we are struggling for key worker accommodation and this application helps to relieve this situation.
“Also, the assessment of this proposal is difficult in that the application from the wind and energy facility is still going through an initial review by DELWP.”
She said agriculture was the primary driver in the local and regional economy and there was “low availability and high demand for key worker accommodation” in the area.
“I feel we will be visiting this issue a lot more in the future,” Cr Makin said.
“They are future issues and we are dealing with the here and now.”
Cr Beard agreed with Cr Makin’s sentiments and said councillors had to put aside speculation and “deal with what’s in frontof us”.
“The one word that keeps sticking out to me is the ‘proposed’ wind farm,” she said.
“I just can’t get passed that this is a proposed and again speculation that there could be a permit approved for that by the planning minister – but there may not be.
“It has been a difficult decision.”
Shire mayor Ruth Gstrein agreed and said it had been a “very complex application todeal with”.