New ideas sidetrack Willow Court expansion plans

EXPANSION plans at the historic Willow Court site may have hit a hurdle with the Derwent Valley Council being urged to delay decisions about the precinct’s future.

This week’s Derwent Valley Council meeting agenda reveals plans by the Agrarian Kitchen to relocate its Lachlan Cooking School and Farm to Willow Court and develop a produce garden there.

The agenda will also consider a proposal for the construction of a rum distillery that would create up to 20 jobs when operational. But in a notice of motion, councillor Anne Salt has urged the council to impose a 120-day moratorium to allow more time to assess plans for the historic site.

Councillor Salt declined to comment and referred the Mercury to Friends of Willow Court deputy chairperson Tony Nicholson.

Mr Nicholson said it was important the council spent longer considering other Willow Court expansion ideas, including an overarching Friends of Willow Court conservation management plan.

“I feel it’s important to reassess and look at all options to make sure the council doesn’t accept unsolicited expressions of interest,” he said.

“The Friends of Willow Court proprietary work for the development of a conservation management plan is in its infancy, but it will be about creating something that’s sustainable. “

Mr Nicholson, a former Derwent Valley mayor, said the proposed moratorium wasn’t about rejecting plans for development from the proponents.

“I’m sure there will be a lot for, and a lot against the pro- posed expansion plans at Willow Court, but we want to focus on our view. This is not a criticism of others,” he said.

The announcement of plans for a new distillery at New Norfolk follows a Derwent Valley Employment report by the Tasmanian Council of Social Service in May, which showed around 30 per cent of residents surveyed said there was a lack of jobs in the region.

New Norfolk Distillery director Justin Derksen said the idea to create Tasmania’s first rum distillery in over 150 years came from a desire to see a positive change in New Norfolk and “bring new life” to the region.

“Living and working in New Norfolk, our family has strong ties to the region and we are really excited about the prospect of bringing a new business to the area that we hope both locals and visitors will enjoy yearround,” he said.