By Oliver Lees
A motion to rescind Macedon Ranges council’s approval of a 120 bed aged care facility at a site outside of the Romsey boundary has been shot down.
The rescission motion, put forward by Cr Anne Moore, was lost five votes to four during an unscheduled council meeting this morning.
The development in question is proposed to occupy a site at the corner of Melbourne-Lancefield and Hutchinsons Lane West.
On September 28, a majority of councillors voted in opposition to the officer’s recommendation.
The officer’s recommendation stated the proposal was inappropriate due to its remoteness from services, its rural living zone status and its location outside a township boundary.
Cr Anne Moore said the proposed aged care facility would contradict the intended use of the shite outlined in its planning scheme, which references that urban developments occur only inside township boundaries in order to “protect agricultural land”.
Mayor Jennifer Anderson said there were not sufficient planning grounds to support the development.
“… Because something is allowable in a zone is not full planning grounds,” she said.
“I think people are thinking there is a need [for an aged care facility] and they want to assist the community… [but] you still have to look at the rest of the planning scheme.
“If we gave permits out for everything allowable in every zone, just because there was a need or somebody wanted it, we would be a completely different shire.”
Cr Geoff Neil maintained his support of the proposal.
“I concur that the planning scheme indicates that an aged care facility should be within the residential zone,” he said.
“But when you don’t have that land for an aged care facility, technically you could argue the planning scheme falls silent. So you then go to the next best thing, which is the land immediately around and abutting your township zoning.”
The application is subject to Victorian Criminal Arbitration Tribunal (VCAT) proceedings.
