Council failing to protect farming, says producer

Stuart Robinson has objected to Hepburn Shire granting a planning permit for a three-bedroom house and two sheds on a small block of land at 280 Learmonth Road, on the outskirts of the town.

His property surrounds the land.

"It's putting a residential property in the middle of our farm; we consider ourselves broadacre graziers and suddenly we are going to have a 10ha house block there," Mr Robinson said.

"There this progressive movement of residential into the farming zone, for those of us that are close to town.

"The push to leave the cities and resettle is probably just putting us under a bit more pressure."

Mr Robinson and his family run a 2000 head Merino wool, lamb and mutton operation, also growing grass hay for the northern dairy industry.

He said the shire attempted to be 'heavy-handed' in 2019, forcing him to slash his grazed paddocks because a neighbour complained that 'our grass was not as short as their lawn'.

"It's grazed out, as far as I am concerned," he said.

"There's a bit of residual stuff the sheep haven't eaten, but the council is saying it has to be slashed, as it's a danger to the houses across the road.

"Starting to plonk residential places in farmland is just going to create more of that."

Mr Robinson said he had never been approached to purchase the block.

"I am very willing to purchase at current values and prepared to aggregate and consolidate the titles into my existing adjoining land."

Read more:

Central Vic Planning Consultants' consultant Lily Mason told council the area was currently a Farming Zone, which meant there was no option for small enterprises, which needed a dwelling and toilet/recreation facilities for security purposes.

"The purpose of this application is to provide a dwelling that supports agricultural activity and better care of the land," Ms Mason said.

"Without the dwelling this enterprise cannot proceed, leaving the land as it currently stands: under-utilised."

The landowners, who currently live in Melbourne, planned to develop a nut orchard, market garden and run sheep on the property, selling the produced generated there through farmers markets.

Ms Mason told council the subject site was not within an area of high, or very high, quality agricultural land.

"The surrounding farm owners are all sheep farmers and are not interested in artisan or intensive farming enterprises and as old family owned properties, they're very unlikely to sell."

Mr Robinson disputed the claim the land was not of high agricultural value.

"That may be the case for the subject block of land but next door, I have grown lucerne for lamb finishing for nearly 20 years.

"I can assure the Council that this is very high quality, and some of the most naturally fertile soil in the district - it should remain as agricultural land and part of commercial agriculture."

Mr Robinson said he was also concerned about the future use of the land, as it appeared significant short-term capital gains could be realised once a permit was granted.

"I have noticed several building permits going through on small acreages land in the Farming Zone."

A planning permit application for another block on Learmonth Road had been granted by council and within months it had been sold again.

Ms Mason told council If the planning department was careful in considering any future applications on their own merits, it was unlikely other lots would be developed in a way that was not supported by the shire.

Hepburn Shire chief executive Bradley Thomas said the application for 280 Learmonth Road was currently being assessed by a planning officer.

"A determination will be made on the application in due course, once all assessments are carried out," Mr Thomas said.