Macedon Ranges Shire Council
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Farmers win in land battle
A fourth generation Springfield farming family has taken on the state government in a David and Goliath battle over land, and won. Backed by Macedon Ranges Shire Council, the Clement family succeeded at the Victorian Civil and Administrative Tribunal in preventing fragmentation of farmland at 75 Clements Road, Springfield. The family donated the land as…
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Alternative development?
“Sometimes what may seem radical, almost ridiculous now, can turn into a visionary decision when looked back on by future generations.” This is just one view on a concept to offer Gisborne’s former champion ex-racehorse property Glen Junor as an alternative to traditional development. A cornerstone of the concept is the developer’s promise to set…
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GROWING PAINS FOR GISBORNE
Gisborne’s coveted village feel could be compromised if Macedon Ranges Council’s draft 30-year plan for the town is adopted without change. The plan recommends controversial expansion of Gisborne Business Park and allows for high-density development close to the town centre including three-storey homes and four-storey commercial fronts. But it was the unanticipated and rushed inclusion…
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Macedon Ranges Shire Council sheds fourth tier
A new three-directorate organisational structure for Macedon Ranges Shire Council has been finalised. The changes involved reducing director positions from four to three – and realigning departments and senior manager roles – and will come into effect from July 1. The three new directorates are Planning and Environment, Corporate and Community, and Assets and Operations.…
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Brewery on the way – New hospitality enterprise for Lancefield
Plans for a new brewery, restaurant and function centre are well advanced, with the exciting project for the middle of Lancefield likely to be operational by next February. A consortium of 10 locals is behind the enterprise, to be sited on a large sloping, triangular-shaped vacant block flanked by Main Road and The Crescent. The…
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Farm Zone win for Lancefield family
A Lancefield couple has fought to build their dream home and business in a Rochford-area Farm Zone and won unanimous support from Macedon Ranges councillors, against planning department advice for refusal. The Sankey family purchased their 10.12-hectare property at Rochford Road seven years ago hoping to build a home, relocate their established earthmoving business and…
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Connecting seniors
Physical distancing during the COVID-19 pandemic, while essential to protecting older Australians who are particularly vulnerable to the virus, may be causing social isolation and loneliness. The Digital Connection for Seniors Project aims to support people over 65 in the Macedon Ranges to socially connect with family and friends using internet-enabled digital technologies. There has…
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Riddells Creek supermarket interest
Owners of a proposed Riddells Creek supermarket site have applied to extend their permit as they move to sell the land. Representing the applicants, Andrew McPherson addressed councillors at a submitters hearing earlier this month, seeking a two-year extension for 1-3 Station Street, with potential buyers “waiting in the wings”. The permit is for the…
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Shared trail on track
Construction on a Macedon Ranges shared-use trail will soon begin with the state government announcing $8.75 million towards the project last week. Woodend’s cycling community has welcomed the move following years of residents “crying out for more options” to cycle and walk safely between towns. Spanning about 23 kilometres, the Macedon Ranges Trails Project will…
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Rebates slash the cost of solar
Benjamin Franklin famously said that “In this world nothing can be said to be certain, except death and taxes”. Well, to that, I reckon we can add “electricity bills keep rising”, a point that’s increasingly top of mind as so many of us spend more time at home with the resulting increase in power bills.…
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Cost blowout for saleyards plan
A major cost blowout for Kyneton Saleyards upgrades has put pressure on Macedon Ranges Council to find additional funds to complete the project. A feasibility study of the two-stage plan for modernisation and compliance requirements projected a cost at more than $1 million, with an estimated payback period of 17-18 years, but stage one alone…
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Not up to scratch
Poor tree pruning has brought Powercor’s electric line clearance works to a standstill in the Macedon Ranges until the company and local council agree on a work plan.Powercor contractors were criticised for leaving trees damaged and unsightly at several locations across the shire during its bushfire mitigation program, prompting council intervention in January.Since then, council’s…