Okehampton plan wins council tick

TASSAL’S plans to farm salmon at Okehampton Bay on the East Coast have taken another step forward after the Glamorgan Spring Bay Council approved a planning scheme amendment.

The council voted 4-2 last night to rezone part of the foreshore reserve and area below the high water mark at Freestone Point Rd, Triabunna, from “open space” and “environmental management”, to “light industrial”.

Plans to develop a marine farming shore facility were also approved.

A draft permit for the facil- ity was approved by the council in May.

The amendment was given the nod despite more than 5800 representations from community members. It will go to the Tasmanian Planning Commission for final approval.

Environment Tasmania’s Laura Kelly said they would dispute the council’s decision at the planning commission.

“A variance is needed to allow ‘light industrial’ zoning as that doesn’t include aquaculture,” Ms Kelly said.

“We would argue this is ‘general industrial’ because impacts go beyond the site.”

She said the council had ignored the threat aquaculture infrastructure posed to endangered whales, including through noise from pile driving, increased vessel disturbance and habitat modification.

Glamorgan Spring Bay Mayor Michael Kent said he voted for the amendment because the industry was “one of the biggest in Tasmania”.

Councillor Debbie Wisby voted against the amendment.

“The planning assessment report did not mention the vision of council is to increase employment opportunities... while protecting residential amenity, unique environmental features and tourism assets,” she said.

Earlier this year, the planning commission ruled a development application could not be assessed because it had not been properly advertised by the council.

Tassal hopes to have 28 pens holding 800,000 fish at full operation. It intends to have salmon in the water by August.

We’re talking about an industry that’s one of the biggest in Tasmania

Mayor MICHAEL KENT