Council considers festival permit

Baw Baw Shire Council is still considering a permit for this year’s Beyond the Valley music festival at Lardner Park.

The festival, which has attracted a number of community complaints since it began three years ago, continued to be the focus of a number of questions on notice presented to Baw Baw Shire.

Lardner resident Tony Sayers asked what the status of the permit was for this year.

Mr Sayers also asked council what special treatment the shire granted Lardner Park and BTV organisers.

Shire chief executive officer Alison Leighton said council received an application for the music festival on September 17.

“Officers are currently reviewing the information included with the application and an occupancy permit for this event has not yet been issued,” she said.

Ms Leighton said Beyond the Valley did not receive any special treatment.

“Our involvement in the event is specifically focussed on the safety and protection of the patrons who are proposed to attend this event and on the amenity of the surrounding community.

“Our assessment is guided by the legislative POPE process of the Building Act 1993.

“Council does have a strategic partnership with Lardner Park this does not influence the issuing of permits for the festival,” she said.

Mr Sayers also asked if the mayor or councillors had met with Warragul Police to discuss if they were in favour or opposed to the festival.

“Have the police expressed any concerns to this festival being held at Lardner Park? If so, what are their concerns?,” he asked.

Ms Leighton said councillors had not met with police but there had been a number of round table meetings with key stakeholders.

She said the POPE application had been discussed at those meetings in preparation for the event in December.

She said it was not appropriate for council to respond on the position of police.

Another resident, Helen Case, asked about traffic and noise management issues.

Ms Leighton said traffic management plans had been prepared by the traffic management company engaged by event organisers Incognitius.

“The event organisers are proposing to close Burnt Store Rd and detours will be in place via Currie Rd with speed reductions along Lardners Trk and Main South Rd.

“The traffic management plans submitted this year are improved from the arrangements that were implemented last year and take into account the challenges faced last year,” she said.

Ms Leighton said the Environment Protection Authority and council had placed a number of requirements onto the event managers about onsite noise management and establishment of a telephone hotline to address all noise complaints.

Ms Leighton said Lardner Park was in the process of organising community information sessions and council would be represented at those meetings.