CFA nod for house

By EMMA SUN
A THIRD hills family has been given the go ahead by Yarra Ranges Council to build their family home, despite bushfire fears.
Almost three years ago, young New Zealand couple Nadia Roberts and Aaron Johnson bought their half-acre, Ferny Creek block of land, which is situated in front of a DSE- owned national park.
The couple was initially told they couldn’t build on their $240,000 land. However, sheer persistence led the couple to get two sets of plans for their home, with the second receiving CFA approval.
The location of the house has since been moved from where the previous house used to sit to the very back of the property.
“When we had the first house designed, it was up to flame zone regulations, so I don’t know why it came to this stage,” Ms Roberts said.
While the couple are pleased and relieved that everything was finally over and they would soon be able to build their home, Ms Roberts said changes needed to be made to the system.
“The issue was that DSE might not maintain the park in front of our property, but then every single land adjoining the national park shouldn’t be allowed to sell or the government should buy it back, if they’re saying it’s that dangerous,” she said.
Councillors also called the Bushfire Management Overlay into question during their discussions at the council meeting last Tuesday, an issue that has been raised in previous meetings where a Kalorama and Mt Dandenong property were approved.
Streeton Ward Councillor Noel Cliff said it wasn’t just a property that the overlay was affecting, it was people’s lives.
“If these people can’t build there and the government refunds their money, then fine,” he said.
“But this family bought a $240,000 land and two sets of plans, and to be told you can’t build a house when their neighbours’ houses are more forward than theirs is ridiculous.”
“This is disgusting. You can’t send them home and tell them to visit their picnic ground.”
Walling Ward Councillor Len Cox echoed Cr Cliff’s comments.
“The State Government originally said there would be a buyback scheme, but there’s not chance it will happen,” he said.
“It’s no good telling them to sell it to someone else with no permit, and you can’t say to people they paid for a land they can’t build on – it’ll financially ruin people for life.
“We need to be concerned even if the state is not.”
Lyster Ward Councillor Samantha Dunn said in fire situations, it was better that the land was occupied than if it was vacant.
“The fact that people are attached to it is worth its weight in gold for fire prevention,” she said.
The motion passed with objections from Cr Tim Heenan and Cr Jeanette McRae.
“It’s just a huge relief, a huge stress off our shoulders,” Ms Roberts said.
“It was just depressing before, because we have to go out there and maintain land we potentially couldn’t build on, but I’m so glad they voted yes to letting us build, I just couldn’t believe it.”