Balaclava, 707 Murrindindi Rd

A report to a special meeting on Wednesday night (Dec. 4) is recommending to Murrindindi Shire Council that they refuse to grant a planning permit for a residential hotel and restaurant at 707 Murrindindi Rd, Murrindindi.

The report says that the proposal does not comply with the requirements of Clause 02.03 Strategic Directions:
• “Protecting rural land for productive agricultural uses and compatible rural uses”, and
• “Ensuring that the use and development of rural land protects and enhances agricultural potential and the productive capacity of the land and surrounding land.”

The Council officers have assembled a list of other reasons why Councillors should vote against issuing a planning permit:

• “The proposal does not comply with the requirements of Clause 13.02 Bushfire in that it has not addressed the potential for bushfire risk.
• “The proposal does not comply with the requirements of Clause 14.01 Agriculture, given that it creates predominantly tourism use in a farming environment that has the potential to limit the operation and expansion of adjacent and nearby agricultural uses in high quality agricultural land.
• “The social and economic benefits of the proposal are unsubstantiated and cannot be relied upon to balance other competing objectives contained within Clause 35.07 Farming Zone.
• “The current planning proposal and plans do not provide sufficient detail to demonstrate that the risk to human health and the environment associated with on-site wastewater management will be acceptable.
• “The proposal provides insufficient detail with respect to infrastructure servicing.
• “The proposed access arrangements are unsatisfactory having regard to the site’s location and the nature of the proposed land use.
• “The proposal will lead to adverse amenity impacts on surrounding residents due to noise, and light spill.”