Home’s plan given buffer breakthrough

A SINAGRA couple have had their plea to build a house in the buffer zone of Ingham’s chicken farm supported by Wanneroo City councillors.

Councillors previously refused Judy and Mick Garbin’s application because restrictions in the east Wanneroo structure plan prevented development in the 500m buffer.

Councillor Frank Cvitan moved an alternative motion at last month’s council meeting, asking administration to prepare an amendment to the structure plan allowing single houses up to 300m from the poultry sheds.

The alternative motion came as a surprise to the couple who said they would have continued to fight to build their new house 30m from their existing house.

‘Frank Cvitan said to me ‘if you’re not really for it (the new house) then let it go’; that hit the nerve and I made the decision, I have to come down to council myself,’ Mr Garbin said.

‘If I had to, I would have kept on fighting it.’

Crs Cvitan, Dianne Guise, Dot Newton, Brett Treby and Bob Smithson spoke in support of the motion.

‘This is a good human reason to get the amendment through and let Mr and Mrs Garbin go ahead and build their home,’ Cr Smithson said.

He also acknowledged there were other residents and buildings in the 500m zone, including the Wanneroo Civic Centre and the St Anthony’s school and church.

The alternative motion received unanimous support after administration’s original recommendation, to not support the house in the buffer zone, lapsed for want of a mover.