Council steps back from zone requirements for Reedy Marsh

by Sharon Webb

MEANDER VALLEY Council has approved subdivision of a Reedy Marsh block which is already smaller than the 15 hectare minimum, despite the council planner’s recommendation to reject it.

In an emotional plea to October’s council meeting, Chris Brown, who lives on 10.12 hectares at 209 Farrells Road, asked councillors to approve the subdivision because it would be ‘lifechanging’.

He said that he wants his son to live on the property in a second house because Mr Brown’s partner is disabled after a stroke and he needs his son to help manage the property.

He argued there were already comparable sized blocks elsewhere in Reedy Marsh.

Council’s Senior Strategic Planner Jo Oliver said the subdivision’s resultant two blocks would be ‘a significant departure from the 15 hectare minimum’, 5.08 and 5.04 hectares respectively.

She reported that the development would have adverse impacts on natural values and the habitat of threatened species, as well as on the visual character and the objectives of the Rural Living Zone.

Reedy Marsh resident Andrew Ricketts objected to the development. He noted that the original lot was already only 67 per cent of the recommended land size for the area, and the resultant blocks would be only 32 per cent.

‘The obvious and uncontentious intent of the 15 hectare minimum lot size standard was not to allow all the titles in Reedy Marsh to be subdivided down to five hectares or so. Yet, that is what is being engineered. This approach has no social license.

‘If the council approves this subdivision, it will be a clear demonstration that it cannot uphold its own standards that were reached in consultation with the community.’

Neighbour Peter Elkin also objected, writing that he would be detrimentally impacted by the development and that the suggested dwelling would be prominent and obtrusive from Farrells Road.

Mr Elkin was critical of the natural values report by Scott Livingston and was concerned about the effects on forest and habitat for threatened species, including the recovering local devil population.

The objectors urged Council to maintain the character of the area – the bushland amenity, natural values and low density residential development.

Councillors Nott, Synfield and Temple, while sympathetic to Mr Brown, commented that the subdivision would set a dangerous precedent.

But the six other councillors agreed that Mr Brown should be allowed to split his block of land, so they voted to approve the subdivision.