The ordinary meeting of Council this month was notable for the absence of any planning applications which required Council approval. Planning applications continue to arrive at the Council office but none or of a scale or have attracted sufficient objections to warrant the attention of Councillors.

One large development of note is at 12 Vanina Street, Hepburn. developers have revised their original plan for 9 units on the site. They have reduced the number of units to 8 and relocated the common property to the southern boundary to alleviate the problem of a driveway constructed among existing vegetation.

Current Planning applications that affect Daylesford, Hepburn and immediately surrounding communities are included in the table below. Closing dates listed for applications indicate the last date on which objections are guaranteed to be considered. Objections to planning applications will be considered after that date until a decision has been made.

The Wombat Post has received correspondence from applicants about delays in approvals for planning applications. Because of the high volume of applications and limited planning staff, decisions are often made well after the closing date. Some people have used the delayed response as a trigger to take decisions to VCAT therefore bypassing the usual Council processes.

Council CEO, Bradley Thomas, has acknowledged the problem. “Hepburn Shire is experiencing a shortage of planners like many Local Government areas,” he said in a statement to The Wombat Post. “We have recently recruited a Digital Systems Improvement Officer and a Senior Planner to help assist with the backlog of permit applications, and we have already seen improvements.

“Overseeing the planning and building departments, Council has made a significant investment by adding an Executive Manager role to the organisation, reporting directly into the Executive Team. Council prides itself on excellent customer service and acknowledges that the shortage of planners has impacted approval timeframes, but we are committed to doing better for our community.”

 

Application ID Application Description Property Address Closing Date
PLN23/0123 Construction of a single dwelling 49 Eldon Street GLENLYON VIC 3461 5/09/2023
PLN23/0122 Development of land for an additional kitchen to make a self-contained residence – the secondary dwelling on a lot 86 East Street DAYLESFORD VIC 3460 30/08/2023
PLN23/0105 Addition to the existing dwelling including alterations to the carport. 6 Radium Avenue HEPBURN SPRINGS VIC 3461 29/08/2023
PLN22/0259 Reduction in lots from 9 to 8, increased lot sizes, relocation of common driveway, existing trees to be removed, location of mail boxes to change 12 Vanina Street HEPBURN VIC 3461 23/08/2023
PLN23/0120 Development of land for two dwellings on a lot and to demolish shed 121 Raglan Street DAYLESFORD VIC 3460 23/08/2023
PLN23/0130 Development of land for replacement dwelling and non- habitable outbuilding. 933 Daylesford-Trentham Road BULLARTO VIC 3461 18/08/2023
PLN23/0125 Development of a second dwelling 31 Eldon Street GLENLYON VIC 3461 15/08/2023
PLN23/0133 Development of a dwelling within an Environmental Significance Overlay 9 Houston Street DAYLESFORD VIC 3460 15/08/2023
PLN23/0068 Demolition of an existing building, Use and Development of Group Accommodation and Removal of Native Vegetation 13 Nash Lane DAYLESFORD VIC 3460 14/08/2023
PLA23/0018 Change of use for existing shed from store to bulky goods display area associated with existing market 105 Central Springs Road DAYLESFORD VIC 3460 10/08/2023
PLN23/0117 Additions and alterations to existing dwelling. 104 Central Springs Road DAYLESFORD VIC 3460 10/08/2023
PLN23/0096 We wish to construct our family home. It will be a double-storey house, an adjoining single storey art studio. It will be constructed of steel frame. There will be a separate garage with the same cladding and construction as the house. 2 Collins Road GLENLYON VIC 3461 9/08/2023
PLN23/0104 Buildings and works to construct seven utility installations and associated infrastructure and to remove, destroy, or lop vegetation under the Erosion Management Overlay 1460 Daylesford-Clunes Road SMEATON VIC 3364 9/08/2023
PLN23/0099 Construction of a storage shed associated with an existing dwelling 95 Gays Road WHEATSHEAF VIC 3461 8/08/2023
PLN23/0103 Building and works for a dwelling 9 Vue Court DAYLESFORD VIC 3460 7/08/2023
PLN23/0118 Development of a building associated with an existing dwelling. 210 Whitegum Drive WHEATSHEAF VIC 3461 7/08/2023