The Heritage Lane site Yarra Ranges Council wants zoned Green Wedge.
By Kath Gannaway
THE owner of land that Yarra Ranges Council wants to rezone Green Wedge appealed in vain to councillors at the 22 June council meeting to “make an informed decision” and release it for industrial use.
Wayne Schild, who owns land at 30 Heritage Lane, Healesville, which is currently zoned Public Use, wants the land re-zoned under the council’s proposed Amendment C90 to Industrial 3 Zone to allow him to further develop his business Sawnrite, a “boutique sawmill operation”.
Mr Schild mounted a successful VCAT appeal against Yarra Ranges Council last year which resulted in him obtaining a planning permit to develop his mobile sawmill to a permanent operation.
His plea came as the council dealt with submissions to a draft Amendment C90 which proposes a number of corrections to Yarra Ranges Planning Scheme.
The council resolved to split the Amendment C90 into three parts, one of them relating solely to the Heritage Lane rezoning which the council said “could not be resolved”.
They opted to refer the matter to the Minister for Planning requesting that he appoint a panel to consider the matter with the council pushing for a Green Wedge outcome.
Mr Schild has occupied the site for six years and said that for the past four years he has been trying to establish a permanent facility.
He said that from the outset professional planning advice had directed he could actively use the land for industrial storage and said mobile milling was ancillary to log storage.
He argued there was a desperate need for industrial land in Healesville stating that was why it was so vital that the council make a decision in his favour.
“I appeal to you to put an end to this unending process,” he said arguing that sending the matter to a panel would further delay the process.
“If you are for cutting red tape, for encouraging small business, believe in the intent of the planning scheme, if you are for employment of regional towns and for proactive governance, you need to make this decision tonight,” he said.
Mr Schild said the councillors had all the facts and information in front of them.
“It is completely ridiculous to send all that off to a panel and ask them to look at the same information that they would not make a decision on, then it comes back to them and they still have to make a decision,” he told the Mail.
Councillor Samantha Dunn supported splitting the amendment into three parts and in relation to Heritage Lane said her preference was to rezone it Green Wedge. “The responsible thing to do is to ask the minister to appoint a panel,” she said.
Cr Jeanette McRae said to gain clarity for the council and the applicant the matter needed to go to a panel. “I understand you would like this resolved once and for all,” she said to Mr Schild.
“The advice we have is that to refer it to a panel is the quickest way.”
