Councillors support chipping away at another five acre block in Westbury

Sharon Webb

Another block on Five Acre Row in Westbury has been approved for subdivision, causing angst among residents and division among Meander Valley councillors.

Councillors listened to an emotional plea from Five Acre Row resident Joanne Mitchelson at their July meeting, where she pleaded for them to empathise with residents wanting to maintain the historical purpose and hobby farmer lifestyle of the street.

She said, ‘People ask me why is it called Five Acre Row.

‘It’s because we have five acre lots in this street. At the beginning of its history the lots were allocated to military pensioners, enough land to be self-sufficient.

‘This was the rule and I always thought it would remain as the name indicated, making possible the opportunity for a particular lifestyle choice. This is why I chose to live here and it’s what I and the majority of residents voted to retain, when we were given the opportunity to vote.’

Ms Mitchelson almost succeeded in convincing the council not to approve the subdivision of 23 Five Acre Row into three lots. As yet the owner, Mrs SM Hope, has no building planned on the two extra lots.

In her written objection to the proposal, Karen Murray of Five Acre Row said the blocks were never to be subdivided.

‘With a little skulduggery, Westbury is fast becoming a satellite concrete suburb of Launceston,’ she wrote.

‘People purchase these blocks for their own personal space, their own escape to the country, to run a small business, have some animals.

‘Allowing these types of subdivisions to occur, we are all living on top of each other and being overlooked. I certainly didn’t purchase my property to be overlooked by a village. I purchased my property for the views and peacefulness of the area. My, how times have changed, and NOT for the better. 

‘Westbury is no longer the historic English village Meander Valley Council perceives it to be. In the last four years there have been numerous subdivisions of these unique and historic five acre blocks, and I can well assure you that anyone who reads this objection will agree that most of these developments are eyesores.’ 

While the Tasmanian Planning Scheme allows subdivision of blocks on Five Acre Row, Cllrs Tanya King, Rodney Synfield, Frank Nott and John Temple would not support it.

Cllr Synfield said the subdivision would have a negative effect in terms of amenity.

‘Westbury’s strong grid pattern of roads and hedgerows has been seriously weakened in recent years,’ he said.

Cllr Nott said Ms Mitchelson’s representation was the most passionate he’d heard.

‘It is the thin edge of the wedge,’ he said. ‘If this is passed there will be many more subdivisions. Someone has to say stop, so I’ll be voting against it.’

Cllr Deb White said that on a personal level she sympathised with the picture Ms Mitchelson painted. ‘But I will allow the subdivision because our job is to represent the community.’

Cllr Sherriff said he would vote for the subdivision.

‘I sympathise with the neighbours [in Five Acre Row] but I also sympathise with the developers,’ he said.

‘We have to make the best decision for the ratepayers, I suppose.’