RIVER Road could become a recognised zone for boutique lifestyle properties in future, but not under current planning conditions, Swan Hill Rural City councillors heard at Tuesday’s general meeting.
After considering a report on a two-lot subdivision proposed for 10 River Road, the council voted unanimously to send it back to the drawing board.
Council staff had recommended a planning permit be refused because the block was in the farming zone, identified as being subject to flooding, and opposite the proposed site of a future Lower Murray Water treatment plant.
Objections to the application were received from the North Central Catchment Management Authority, Lower Murray Water and a neighbour.
The meeting heard there had been several attempts to reconfigure the subdivision. These included a proposal for access to one lot using a levee bank, which was deemed unacceptable, and later a so-called battle-axe block to give that lot access to River Road.
Director of infrastructure Svetla Petkova told the meeting it wasn’t possible to remove the land from the inundation overlay.
“The flood management study for Swan Hill wasn’t completed because of insufficient data from the other models that are upstream from us,” she said.
“Any changes to the overlays need to be based on updated flood modelling, so there’ll be no opportunity for any changes to those overlays.”
Director of development and planning Heather Green said the council would have to allocate “significant funds” to prepare another flood study if it wanted to have that area rezoned.
The council backed a motion from Cr Les McPhee that the application be refused, but that council planning staff work further with the applicant to achieve a more appropriate subdivision plan.
Cr McPhee said it was dangerous to allow battle-axe blocks in farming zones because of the difficulty it caused emergency services trying to find them.
“I see opportunities for a better subdivision on that block,” he said. “It can no longer be part of a productive farm. We need to look at these blocks, each one on its own merits, and this one I think, is worthy of a better subdivision.”
Cr Chris Jeffery said he was concerned about the possibility of homes being so close to the future water treatment plant “and the impact on people that live in that area once it’s developed”.
Cr Stuart King said it was no longer profitable to farm in the area and the land was well-suited to future subdivisions to create “boutique riverfront lifestyle properties”, which were in short supply.
Cr Nicole McKay agreed River Road was suitable for lifestyle housing, but said planning needed to be organised and sustainable.
“It is important to ensure that land that is subject to flooding, no matter how far apart that time is, that we do some works to either investigate whether it is or do some protective management,” she said.
