Council refuses rural house at Neerim North

A house on a farm property at Neerim South has been refused by Baw Baw Shire, with planners advising the house would contribute to a proliferation of houses in a rural area.

“It is less than four hectares of useable farm land,” he said.

Cr Michael Leaney said it was important to grow rural communities

But Cr Gauci disagreed. “If you look at the planning scheme the way it is at the moment it can’t happen.”

“Our policy says if you want a house you have to produce a farm management plan,” he said.

Cr Mikaela Power said while council was looking at the application alongside a group of properties that already have houses, unless the applicant could make a case that they had a rural pursuit, the house was not justified.

Cr Keith Cook said common sense may say put a house there, but council had rules in place that said it was not allowed.

“Until we have our rural land use policy in place, these are the rules,” he said.