At the August Scheduled Council Meeting, Moira Shire Council approved a development plan for Tunnock Road, Numurkah following extensive community consultation and revision of the proposal.
Onley Holdings made an application to develop the four hectare site for 12 residential lots at 30-36 Tunnock Road, as a transition to a rural living style development within the farming zone to the East.
The Modelling shown to Council presents that no existing surrounding buildings will be affected by the proposed development. The final levee heights are still subject to detailed design, however they will include a minimum 300mm freeboard and are anticipated to be less than one metre in total height at this location.
Council noted the development plan provided an overarching framework to guide future usage, development and subdivision of the site in conjunction with other relevant planning controls.
The Panel of Administrators Chair, John Tanner AM said that Council had responsibility to consider the issue and all planning matters on the merits of the planning scheme. In line with this, the Panel had undertaken an extra level of stakeholder consultation on development plan to ensure they had received all relevant community views and opinions.
Council also noted that none of the external authorities had raised any issues with the proposed development plan, including EPA, Goulburn-Murray Water, Goulburn Broken Catchment Management Authority (GBCMA), Goulburn Valley Water and Powercor.
In assessing the application, Administrator Graeme Emonson highlighted the development plan as an important matter for Numurkah residents. He noted the site's inclusion for future residential development in the 2010 Numurkah Strategy Plan, and the extensive flood modelling which had been undertaken.
He said that the application, on balance, with additional conditions was a 'fair and reasonable' planning response for the site, taking into account the history of the Numurkah Strategy Plan, flooding considerations on surrounding land, prior independent considerations by a planning panel, and potential effects on native flora and fauna, drainage and road networks.
He noted that the flood modelling in support of the development plan showed little impact on the surrounding land and that an independent planning panel had noted that the land could be developed for residential purposes.
Administrator Suzanna Sheed also mentioned parts of the land could not be developed based on the flood modelling that had been done for the area.
She noted that residents had raised concerns about the ownership of the proposed levee and Council would create an easement to protect the land in line with other areas in Numurkah.
Ms Sheed also said the shortage of housing supply being faced within the municipality was a major issue, as it is for the Federal and State governments. There was an acute shortage of housing, and the Numurkah development was an important factor in the overall housing shortage at all levels of government.
The Council approved the Tunnock Road development plans with the addition of conditions that
- the development did not have any fill within the Rural Floodway Overlay (excavation only);
- buildings on proposed lots 9, 10, 11 and 12 be restricted to the approved envelopes; and
- that driveways associated with lots 9, 10, 11 and 12 be constructed no higher than 50mm above the general natural surface level.
To view the Scheduled Council Meeting and the agenda item for the development of Tunnock Road Numurkah visit Council's website, www.moira.vic.gov.au/Past-Meetings
