Mixed results for Seymour developments

Four applications for development off Tarcombe Road, Seymour, received both mixed and confused reactions from councillors at the July meeting of Mitchell Shire Council, despite an officer recommendation that all four applications be approved.

The applications by Land Development Consulting Pty Ltd referred to two lots on Conductor Street and another two on Pony Promenade. All were opposed by councillors Rhonda Sanderson and Fiona Stevens, essentially based on the fact that the proposed developments did not fit with the neighbourhood character of the area.

The two lot subdivision proposal at 1 Conductor Street may set Council on yet another journey to VCAT, with Cr Sanderson noting it would ‘be interesting’ if the matter did not go to VCAT.

“But it does not sit well with me,” she said.

The final vote on the matter saw it lost four votes to two, but not all councillors seemed convinced.

“I am confused on that vote, it did not register in my head. What did we just do?” Cr Stevens said.

Councillor David Clark clarified that the matter had failed to be determined, leading to a word of caution from Councillor David Lowe.

“Simply this matter will go to VCAT. It will cost us money and we need to be more realistic in the future,” Cr Lowe said.

The second application at 6 Conductor Street was met with a similar response, with an alternative motion to refuse the application again presented by councillors Sanderson and Stevens.

That alternative motion was lost on the casting vote of the Acting Mayor Cr Clark, and the original motion carried, giving the green light to at least one of the proposals.

Speaking on the application for the subdivision at 1 Pony Promenade, Cr Sanderson expressed concern that the size of the proposed development would incur problems when Council introduced the four-bin waste collection in 2025.

“What happens in this street will be really interesting when we move to the four-bin system,” she said.

Following further discussion, the meeting resolved to issue a Notice of Decision to Refuse to Grant a Permit four votes to two. A similar vote resulted in the application at 4 Pony Promenade being denied.