May 28th, 2024Your say…

Perplexed

After attending Tuesday (May 14) afternoon’s meeting, I am still perplexed as to why the council has spent money on four consultants for over two years to come up with a solution that is not only basic and unimaginative but directly contradicts both the community feedback (via the consulting group of 21 residents and the community survey) and its own Agriculture Land Study and Rural Settlement Strategy.

They are determined to silo projects even when they are intrinsically linked which results in outcomes that are limited, short sighted and doomed to failure. We currently have enough vacant land for 380 new homes within the existing boundary. By their own admission – this is 20 years of stock. This doesn’t include any infill, subdivisions or existing developments. So why even commission this study?

This entire rezoning proposal will only create 100 new lots whilst having a devastating impact on our town, our farming, agriculture and tourism

And even then, it does not address the most significant cause of the current housing crisis: the conversion of hundreds of homes from owner-occupier/permanent rentals to short-term holiday rentals (currently over 400 just on Airbnb alone).

This “boom” has not only resulted in many locals living in streets without any neighbours, but long term holiday rentals becoming less and less viable as the market becomes saturated.

It could also be argued that the altered “balance” between permanent and holiday properties could have contributed to the marked increase in domestic burglaries of late. It doesn’t take blind Freddy to think that a vacant holiday house is easy picking for a criminal.

If the council lacks the skills, passion or desire to achieve great outcomes, they should let us devise the solutions. This community has more talent, expertise and passion than the council gives us credit for. We are not an “everyday” run-of-the-mill country town. We need a vision that reflects the nature and character of our town – innovative, sustainable and extraordinary.

From Sarah Lang, Daylesford