House approved for stock horse breeding

Development of a house on a small rural lot in Trafalgar has been approved by Baw Baw Shire Council, against a recommendation of planners.

Planning advice for the application to build a house on 3.6 hectare rural zoned property in Sunny Creek Connection Rd was to refuse the application.

Planners said the proposal was inconsistent with state and local policy and the applicant had failed to demonstrate the need for a house on the land.

But councillors said they believed the applicant Chris Monteleone was genuine in his intentions to use the land to breed stock horses.

A business plan presented with the application indicated Mr Monteleone intended to breed four foals per year, increasing to six foals a year by year four.

The application was considered by council after councillors requested the application be “called-in” and decided by councillors rather than under delegated authority.

Planners said the application failed to justify a house was an integral and ancillary part of the use of the land for a commercial farming purpose.

“The farm management plan provided by the applicant indicates that the intended business would not have the capacity to generate an income to make it a commercially viable operation,” the report said.

Planners said the foaling season was only a short period each year, therefore limiting the need for supervision.

Mr Monteleone told council he planned to breed, train and sell competition ready stock horses, that would sell for around $20,000 and up to $100,000.

“These horses are worth mega dollars if they become top competition horses.

“We want to take the foals we have bred and raise them to a high competition level. To do this without living on site would be impossible.

“There is no better outcome for this land than having a farmer who grew up in the area and knows how to work the land,” he said.

Mr Monteleone said training six horses was a full day’s work on its own and then there was also work associated with breeding.

“You have to monitor horses, they are not like cattle,” he said.

Moving a motion that council approve the application, Cr Darren Wallace said the stock horse stud may not be a traditional agricultural use but the operation would be enhanced by the applicant living on site.

Cr Wallace said using land for primary production was about agricultural output, which was primarily dairying in the shire.

But, he said, why couldn’t Baw Baw be known for breeding stock horses.

Cr Wallace said he did not agree with planners that the proposal was inconsistent with state and local policy.

“I don’t think I have to explain how horses fall into the rural landscape and rural policy encourages a diverse range of agricultural enterprises.

Cr Wallace said living on site was favourable for any agricultural operation, including foaling and training horses.

Cr Danny Goss said the applicant had provided a reasonable farm plan. “Is it sophisticated – no. But, some of the best ones are written from the heart.”

Cr Goss said this was a genuine attempt to establish an agricultural operation. “It’s not just about foals, it’s about running a business.”

Cr Keith Cook was the only councillor who voted against the proposal.

He said he knew a bit about horses and if people wanted to do a good job with training them then training at twoyears-old was not a good move because they could end up with bone and joint problems.

He said he looked at 560 listings for stock horses in the Horse Deals magazine and the top five per cent averaged $11,000. “So the prices don’t add up,” he said.

Cr Cook also said there were clear signs when mares were foaling so the applicant would probably only have to live there for eight days a year.