Panel sought for development proposal – Moorabool Shire Council meeting briefs

MOORABOOL Shire Council decided at last week’s 2 July meeting to ask for an independent panel’s consideration of a major residential development proposed for a Bacchus Marsh suburb.

The move followed exhibition of a proposed planning scheme amendment to facilitate a residential development of about 62 hectares known as Hopetoun Park North, which would cater for about 400 dwellings and up to 1200 residents.

Thirty-two submissions were received during the amendment’s exhibition period earlier this year, more than 20 of which were from residents and many of which were opposed to the plan.

After hearing from three speakers – two residents in opposition and a developer representative who urged that the council ask for the independent panel – councillors voted unanimously to do so.

They adopted an officer’s recommendation without significant discussion to ask the Minister for Planning to establish a panel to consider all submissions.

The Hopetoun Park North precinct was identified for investigation as a residential growth area in the Bacchus Marsh Urban Growth Framework of 2018.

It includes land on either side of Hopetoun Road between the Western Freeway and the existing Hopetoun Park residential estate. The amendment site comprises the western portion of the precinct on the western side of Hopetoun Park Road.

The land is zoned for farming and will have to be rezoned before the development can proceed.

The council will have to wait for a panel report – if a panel is indeed appointed – before acting further on the issue.

Opposition to energy storage payment plan

Councillors voted unanimously to ratify a council submission opposing a proposed new payment in lieu of rates (PILOR) scheme for energy storage systems.

In May, the Department of Energy, Environment and Climate Action issued a discussion paper proposing a new PILOR scheme, particularly for battery energy storage systems.

The proposal would differentiate energy storage systems from other forms of electricity generation by introducing a payment model that considers their smaller land footprint and capital intensity.

But the Shire’s submission opposed the idea due to potentially significant reductions in local government revenue, its increased administrative complexity, and an inconsistent treatment of energy infrastructure in regards to taxation.

Under the existing framework, councils and electricity generators negotiate payments based on generating capacity in megawatts. But a report to the meeting said that system already results in lower revenue compared to traditional capital improved value-based (CIV) rating.

Its submission said local wind farms now contribute just 38 per cent of the revenue that they would under a CIV system – $1.1 million a year against $2.94 million a year.

It also complained that the council was not told by the department that the discussion paper had been released.

As part of the recommendation, councillors authorised CEO Derek Madden to make further comments and submissions to the department on the issue.

Cr Rod Ward successfully moved an amendment to tell other councils about the issue, because some may not be as aware of it as they should be.

Sport and rec funding cut challenged

A notice of motion from Cr Ward expressing outrage at a State Government cut to funding for sport and recreation infrastructure this financial year was carried unanimously.

The Shire will now write to the Government asking it to justify why total funding for community sport and recreation infrastructure had gone from $143 million for peri-urban municipalities such as Moorabool in 2022-23 to just $20 million this year.

Cr Ward told the meeting he was “alarmed and frustrated” when he learnt of the cut.

He said a Legislative Council economy and infrastructure report recognised “that peri-urban councils on the fringe of Melbourne are fast-growing councils, and we need access to additional funding as expectations of our population is outpacing our revenue growth”.

“There’s a significant shortfall due to the limited…rating capacity,” Cr Ward said.

His motion also calls on the Government to significantly increase available funding, and to create growth funds specifically for rapidly developing municipalities such as Moorabool.

Letters will be sent to nine ministers and local members, including Premier Jacinta Allan.

Kangaroo dangers concern

Cr Moira Berry successfully moved to have officers seek advice on mobs of kangaroos encroaching on land and creating a danger to motorists, farmers and others.

Cr Berry raised the issue as a matter of urgent business, telling the meeting she was aware of mobs of kangaroos moving closer to the Bacchus Marsh Avenue of Honour and also destroying crops.

At least one farmer had contacted her, she said, and residents were also concerned about kangaroos in groups of up to 25 being sighted near Telford Park in Darley.

Cr Berry said kangaroos were known to be using footpaths and roads en route to the area, and a lettuce farmer had reported mobs destroying and eating his crops.

“The farmer has attempted to contact DEECA (the Department of Energy, Environment and Climate Action) several times with no reply,” she said.

“There has never been such a kangaroo problem as we have now so close to roads, a local primary school, our own council Darley Hub office, and a food source that supplies to various parts of Victoria and beyond.”

Cr Berry’s motion was that the Shire seek information from the department about what measures it has in place to manage kangaroo mobs.

An officers’ report will be then presented to councillors.