A SHIRE of Murray landowner was convicted of failing to comply with the requirements of the local planning scheme by the Mandurah Magistrates Court.
The landowner was found guilty of the unauthorised storage of materials on their special rural zoned property and fined $22,000 plus costs of $1331.
The court agreed that the scale of material being stored, much of which was disused, had resulted in a detrimental impact on the amenity of the local area and was not an appropriate land use in the zone.
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READ NOWSpecial rural lots are larger than suburban lots and may have greater capacity to store materials.
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Residents are reminded however that storage of materials should not exceed a normal domestic level, particularly where the storage results in a loss of amenity for neighbours or impacts the environment.
Shire of Murray chief executive Dean Unsworth said the Shire always attempted to work with landowners to avoid formal compliance action being undertaken.
“In circumstances where landowners are not prepared to work with the Shire to resolve an issue, formal action inevitably results,” he said.
“This can lead to significant fines and costs that may have otherwise been avoided.
“The Shire hopes that this case highlights the importance of obtaining the necessary approvals for your property as well as the significance of working with the Shire where an issue is raised.”
If residents are unsure of their obligations in relation to the types of land uses that can be undertaken on their property, call the Shire’s Planning and Environment Services team on 9531 7777.