Midland Express Tuesday 6 April 2021

Page 1

Express MIDLAND

www.midlandexpress.com.au

COUNTRY

FOOTY& NETBALL

Tuesday, April 6, 2021

INSIDE TODAY

2021 LIFTOUT

realestate

Express MIDLAND

& Living .com.au

MIDLAND PROPERTY

pages 19-30

Landowners in Macedon Ranges continue to fight fi i to keep existing build rights on 40ha or more in the Farm Zone as both state and local government sharpen their focus on agricultural land. Pictured is Alex Straus at his family farm in Darraweit Guim. More page 3.

A changing landscape? Accommodation, restaurants and convenience stores could become part of Macedon Ranges’ farming and rural landscape, under the newly released Draft Rural Land Use Strategy. Greater ease for tourism and commercial activity would come with the new Rural Activity Zone recommended for land in the shire’s northeast between Woodend, Malmsbury and Tylden. A land analysis of the shire’s northeast

found "the Farming Zone is no longer considered the most appropriate zone for this area as agriculture, while a dominant land use, is mostly ancillary to the primary land uses including rural lifestyle and tourism". The council-commissioned RMCG report found that while agricultural capability of the land was strong, commercial scale was limited by land fragmentation, high land prices and rural land use conflict. "Agricultural viability of commercial enterprises is increasingly reliant on valueadding such as tourism," the report stated.

According to the report, land between Woodend and Malmsbury is also significantly fragmented and, since 2006, experienced the highest concentration of new dwelling development in the rural areas. "Broadacre agricultural enterprises have largely left the area and have been replaced by a mix of equine and smallscale specialist agricultural enterprises as well as hobby farming and rural lifestyle," it states. The Rural Activity Zone provides flexibility for agriculture and other land uses

to co-exist, such as primary produce sales and group accommodation, but some residents have questioned its appropriateness for the area and the timing of its introduction as the state government reviews strategic agricultural land within 100km of Melbourne. The contentious rezoning contributed to Macedon Ranges councillors’ struggle to endorse the strategy for public consultation in a 5-4 vote at their March ordinary meeting. Continued page 3.

PALMER,, STEVENS & RENNICK Barristers & Solicitors Ba

• Property and Conveyancing • Criminal Law • Family Law • Wills and Estates • Commercial Law • Employment Law • Appearing in all Courts

Please contact us on 5422 6500

KN254389

8 Jennings St, Kyneton

email: psr@psr.net.au

KN255894

Amy Hume


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