Council imposes new environmental overlay on private property in Nillumbik

Local residents in Nillumbik Shire Council are furious that new environmental regulations might impact the way they use their land. 

On Thursday, Tom Elliott received a number of calls from disgruntled residents protesting the move to impose environmental overlays over areas of private property, and conflicting reports from Councillors on 3AW Drive today has offered them no clarity.

Councillor Meralyn Klein joined Tom early in the show to discuss the rules.

‘It will increase current restrictions and tighten control over private land,’ she said.

‘The reality is, these overlays will impact people’s land.’

The Drive program chased this accusation up with the Mayor of Nillumbik Shire Council, Councillor Bronnie Hattam. She denied that the overlays would have any major impact on residents in the area. 

‘It clarifies a number of things around fencing and vegetation removal, but it doesn’t actually change anything,’ she argued. 

‘There is a lot of misinformation about.’ 

Listener John who runs cattle in Nillumbik begged to differ, he said the new rules would certainly have a detrimental impact.

‘Cattle have been running on our property for 120 years. They’re putting a buffer zone in saying there are native grasses – well the cattle ate them out 119 years ago,’ he said.

Click PLAY below to hear Tom’s chat with Councillor Meralyn Klein.

Click PLAY below to hear Councillor Bronnie Hattam deny that the new rules would have a negative impact on residents.