YARRA RANGES: Council on ‘A Current Affair’
Yarra Ranges Shire has featured on A Current Affair TV program – and the Council is not happy about the coverage.
A Council statement said: “Yarra Ranges Council is disappointed that the item reported on A Current Affair on Channel Nine last night (June 24) was misleading and rejects the assertion that Council is blocking or adding red tape on the matter.
“Council would like to clarify that the residents featured on the program who live at a property in Tecoma have been issued with a planning permit for a carport.
“Due to its location, the property has an Erosion Management Overlay applied to it, and because of this overlay, the planning application needed to have a geotechnical report provided.
“The geotechnical report is provided by the applicant and is a report prepared by experts in the field independent of Council.
“The Planning Permit did not have a condition requiring a slab – this was identified in the applicant’s geotechnical report.
“The geotechnical report stipulates the requirements for the safe construction of the carport including recommended footings and associated construction techniques to meet the landslide risk requirements at this location and Australian Standards.
“Council is happy to discuss the matter with the homeowner if they want to change the design, however they will first need to discuss what alternative options there are with their Geotechnical engineer given the property is covered by an Erosion Management Overlay.”