Farmers will no longer require a permit to build on-farm worker accommodation under new Victorian planning changes.
The permit exemption is available to accommodate up to 10 workers engaged in agriculture and must be on at least 40 hectares of land in the Farm Zone.
Minister for Agriculture Mary-Anne Thomas said the amendment would remove common barriers to the attraction and retention of workers for the industry.
“These planning changes are about supporting our agriculture sector to thrive,” she said.
“On-farm accommodation will provide more options for farm workers and make it easier for growers to recruit the workers they need for the upcoming harvest.”
The move is expected to reduce the need for seasonal workers to find stays in nearby towns and decrease travel that impacts the road network.
Access to rural worker accommodation is mostly sought in more remote areas, but the permit exemption will apply state-wide.
The entire Macedon Ranges Shire, and the southern edge of Mount Alexander, fall within 100km of Melbourne where the state government currently has an interest in protecting agricultural land.
Earlier this year, the Planning for Melbourne’s Green Wedges and Agricultural Land Consultation Paper suggested farmers in this area could lose their existing rights to build a dwelling on 40ha or more in the Farm Zone.
Submissions to the consultation paper are now being reviewed to determine which of the proposed planning system reform options will be implemented, and how.
A Victorian Government spokesperson told the Express “This (on-farm accommodation) change supports our farmers and does not compromise the protection of agricultural land”.
Any proposal will need to meet requirements regarding lot size, wastewater treatment, as well as having to be associated with agriculture land uses.
MRSC’s director of planning and environment, Angela Hughes, said details around compliance and consideration to accommodation location on agricultural land were not known at this early stage.
“From what we understand, this exemption will be similar to the current as of right dwellings use on lots greater than 40ha where no planning permit is required for the use. If a planning permit is not required for a dwelling then technically the owner can put a dwelling anywhere on the land,” Ms Hughes said.
“If the amendment provisions include a notification process to enable council to capture the record, then inspections can be completed as required to confirm compliance of such accommodation.”
The planning department could not provide a figure on how many farming properties would be eligible under the changes.
Ms Hughes said the council was looking forward to viewing the details of the new planning provisions when released.
“The gazettal of amendment will tell us more in relation to the process, at which time we’ll be able to provide further information,” she said.
