By Corey Everitt
A neighbourly dispute over a hemp farming business in Vervale has been scheduled for a massive three-day hearing in VCAT to address alleged concerns about the planning parameters around the recent construction of a farm shed.
On Friday 19 April VCAT member Dalia Cook heard from representatives from Cardinia Shire Council, farmer Andrew Little and lawyers from his neighbouring property on Murray Road, Vervale to schedule the future hearings over a dispute around a council-granted outbuilding on Little’s properties.
The applicant of the matter is the neighbour of farmers Andrew and Renee Little – the respondents whose shed is in question.
The applicant is arguing for recently successful amendment to the planning application to be struck down.
A specific amendment in question is the deletion of the restriction of the outbuilding to be used only for crop raising.
This is not the first time the property has been the subject of a VCAT ruling, Ms Cook says the matter has a ‘chequered history’.
VCAT has previously rejected a proposal on the property for a mixed use development for the production of hempcrete and as a caretaker’s dwelling.
As reported previously in the Gazette, if it was granted Andrew and Renee Little would have become Australia’s first fully organic hemp growing farm.
The purpose of the farm would be to create building materials out of hempcrete, a biocomposite made of hemp shives pitched as a sustainable and durable alternative.
Both the council and VCAT blocked the development as it was ruled to be an industrial pursuit on land strictly for agriculture.
Little wished to run this production under his business Ecowall Cladding, its Facebook page is still active and provided updates regarding the recent construction of the shed on the property.
In July 2023, the council granted a permit for the construction of a farm shed and associated earthworks at the property. Little’s neighbours and applicants of this VCAT matter were objectors to this proposal.
The uses of this farm shed were restricted with the condition that it can only be used for crop raising.
In October 2023, the council granted the amendments including the deletion of the crop raising condition.
The applicant is seeking to overturn these amendments under the grounds that there was no public notice of the decision and alleges a ‘material mis-statement or concealment of fact’ to the permit process.
Ms Cook also mentioned that the owners have made a new application to the council for the land to be used for Rural Industry in the form of ’mud brick manufacturing’.
The respondent submitted – with the backing of the council – for the matter to go to a preliminary hearing where the applicant’s request to overturn the amendments can be blocked.
Ms Cook instead supported a proposal for a compulsory conference which is held before a formal hearing where parties have an opportunity to settle the matter between themselves..
The compulsory conference will occur on Friday 10 May. A hearing has been fast tracked with a set date over three days from 8 to 10 July.
