By JESSE GRAHAM
AN EAST Warburton couple will be able to build their home at long last, after having plans accepted at a recent Yarra Ranges Council meeting.
At the 10 November meeting, councillors unanimously approved plans for a house to be built on Whitegum Drive in East Warburton.
The item had been listed in an officer’s report with a recommendation that councillors refuse the application, citing a number of concerns regarding bushfire risks, but this was overturned by O’Shannassy Ward councillor Jim Child with an alternate recommendation.
Property co-owner, Heather Walker, made a submission on the item and said there had been repeated troubles in trying to fit criteria and get an application approved.
Though the property is covered by the Bushfire Management Overlay (BMO), the Walkers had proposed to build a private bushfire bunker, with a 10,000-litre water tank for firefighters.
“We bought the property knowing full well about the bushfire dangers,” Ms Walker said.
“We have fully planned for what we would do and how we would maintain the property to ensure our safety.
“At any sign of high fire danger, we plan to evacuate well out of the area, well before any fire might start – as a last resort, we wanted a bushfire shelter there.”
Cr Child said a letter from the CFA, cited by the council officers as grounds to recommend refusal, did not oppose the house being built.
“When you actually read the letter … it doesn’t say ‘No, the Walkers can’t build here’,” he said.
“It tells us, if we’re in a position to issue a permit, we should abide by their recommendations, and councillors, that’s exactly what we’re doing, if we abide by my recommendation.”
He said the clearance of 26 trees for the block was acceptable, as the site was in close proximity to the Yarra Ranges National Park, with “thousands and thousands of hectares of native vegetation”.
Ryrie Ward councillor Fiona McAllister seconded Cr Child’s approval motion, and said the journey the Walkers had been on to get approval for their home was “unacceptable”.
Cr McAllister said that, while East Warburton was a risky area to live with fire danger, but that the risk was mitigated by the last-resort option of the fire bunker.
“I strongly believe people have the right to live in the bush – that’s why we live in Yarra Ranges, that’s why we choose to live here,” she said.
“Nobody wants to set themselves up for unacceptable risk, and we have a responsibility to work with people to make it work.”
Councillors then voted unanimously to approve the Walkers’ permit.
