Prime farmland in Victoria’s spa country that has grown food for more than a century would make way for property development under a contentious plan for Daylesford’s future. The landowner and surrounding neighbours are alarmed by Hepburn Shire’s proposal to extend Daylesford’s urban boundary into farmland, arguing the town’s rural and agricultural identity should be preserved for future generations. Ned Powell on the property his family has farmed for more than 100 years.
Credit: Jason South But the council maintains that it must plan for future development, with regional housing shortages expected to intensify in coming years. It estimates about 100 homes of varying configurations could fit on the property within the extended boundary. The family that owns the land has attacked the proposal to rezone 14 hectares of its 40-hectare farm from agricultural to residential, saying it could force them to give up farming on that part of the property.
They insisted they had no plans to sell the land, but rezoning it could raise its value and significantly increase their municipal rates. Some residents are also against the proposed rezoning. They said extending Daylesford’s boundary would urbanise valuable arable land and erode the region’s rural identity, which has attracted generations of holidaymakers.
Daylesford residents, including Debora Semple and Vasko Drogriski, are pushing back against plans to rezone farmland near their homes. Credit: Jason South The battle o.
