planning report Lawnville House and Caretakers · MCU22/0199

o   the land has an approval (MCU14/0028) for a poultry business to a maximum of 1,000
    chickens for egg production which is a significant agricultural use;

o   a manager is required onsite who is responsible for the 24hr care of livestock including the
    protection from predators (i.e. wild dogs) that attack the coups and young cattle;

o   the property is currently running a commercial cattle breeding operation and will increase
    carrying capacity to run higher value stud livestock;

o   the owner has already erected more than 2km of new fencing;

o   caretaker’s accommodation is a critical part of the salary package to attract the right farm
    manager;

o   the owner is maximising the use of the land with a slightly higher cattle stocking rate which
    requires to rotate cattle to different paddocks;

o   given the slightly higher cattle stocking rate, farm maintenance activities need attention.
    Noting the provision of livestock is still compliant with accepted development subject to
    requirements set out in the Rural Activities Code and the development approval;

o   the building is essential in maintaining the rural activity on site and has been used as a
    dwelling house for many years and is therefore not diminishing the agricultural production of
    the land but is enhancing its production by diversification and employing a manager to
    oversee, grow and operate the rural businesses;

o   although the Caretaker’s accommodation is a permanent structure within the ALCA, the
    structure exists and is ancillary to and essential to the farming activity on the land;

o   the Caretaker’s accommodation is less than 50m from the primary rural use, in fact the
    residence is within the land to which the manager operates the rural businesses;

o   the land is greater than 20ha and significant rural enterprises operate on the land;

o   the building exceeds the gross floor area indicated in AO4.6 of the Code. The building is
    being reused with minor renovations required to provide living space and privacy for a family,
    an office, storage and reception space for business purposes. Associated PO4 seeks that
    the accommodation is ancillary to the non-residential activity onsite. In this case, significant
    rural enterprises operate on the land and the small non-compliance of 16m² is considered
    insignificant on a 60,5525m² lot.

o   While the previous owners lived in the existing dwelling house and operated the poultry
    business and some cattle agistment, the new owners seek to live on the land without direct
    daily involvement in the rural enterprises which operate on site. As such, the Caretaker’s
    accommodation will house the manager of this business who will have 24 hour responsibility
    for the land, health and wellbeing of the animals and farm maintenance activities.




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