VFF and Coalition say no to removing 40ha right to build a home

It makes no sense to treat “a 400ha farm the same as a 2ha lot” when it comes to demanding a planning permit to build a home, says Victoria’s peak farmer lobby.

Victorian farmers have rejected the Andrews Government push to end their right to build a dwelling on 40ha or more. Picture: Jake Nowakowski

THE Victorian Opposition has vowed to oppose any bid by the Andrews Government to extinguish rural landholders’ existing rights to build a house on 40ha or more without a planning permit, within 100km of Melbourne.

“The Liberal-Nationals are completely opposed to the removal of the 40ha as-of-right dwelling rule,” Opposition planning spokesman Tim Smith said. “Any changes should be disallowed and we would vote against it in Parliament.

“This is evidence of a very city-centric Labor Government, who haven’t got a clue about regional Victoria. One wonders why the Andrews Government is even considering it.”

Victorian Planning Minister Richard Wynne has said the Government would “do whatever it takes to keep Melbourne’s green wedges and agricultural areas working”.

Department of Environment, Land, Water and Planning bureaucrats have produced a consultation paper that calls for “better control” over rural development by removing the “dwelling as an as-of-right use in the Farming Zone within 100km of Melbourne”.

The paper goes on to state: “land fragmentation and proliferation of rural lifestyle living on agricultural land can be reduced if further subdivision and dwelling developments are more tightly controlled”.

But the Victorian Farmers Federation has dismissed any push to extinguish the 40ha as-of-right rule, arguing for a more strategic approach that recognises the complexity and evolving nature of agriculture.

“Dwellings in conjunction with genuine farming are not the major threat to agricultural land,” the VFF submitted. “Farmers aren’t rushing to subdivide farms – they are actively seeking more land to gain the economy of scale required.”

The submission said it made no sense to treat “a 400ha farm the same as a 2ha lot” when it came to demanding a planning permit to build a home.

VFF Land Management Committee Chair Gerry Leach said “the Government must do further work to ensure any changes are cognisant of the local agricultural industry, rather than a blanket-wide approach.

“DELWP’s solution to minimums created in 1968 with everyone needing a permit will add red tape to genuine farming and not reduce land use conflict,” Mr Leach said.

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