Rodney Stevens

A development application DA 2023/0175 for a sawmill and roadside stall on Banana Road at Mororo has been unanimously refused by Clarence Valley councillors over concerns including traffic, impacts to roads, noise and amenity and hours of operation.

On March 29, 2023, a DA was lodged with Clarence Valley Council CVC by Parker Scanlon on behalf of Tracey and Peter Mather of 96 Banana Road, Mororo, for a sawmill and roadside stall.

Council’s agenda for the November 28 meeting states the application was lodged following a history of complaints and follow up compliance issues, which resulted in a Development Control Order being issued for the unlawful use of the site.

When council placed the DA on public exhibition it received four objections to the proposal from the four closest neighbours to the site.

The proposal was for a 20 metre by 10 metre, four-metre-high shed to be built as a bandsaw and firewood shelter, plus a 16 metre by 10 metre, four-metre-high shed for a sawmill and thicknesser and a 4 metre by 5 metre roadside stall fronting Banana Road.

The applicant also proposed converting an existing outbuilding on the site to dual occupancy which was covered by DA 2020/0218.

At the November 28 CVC meeting at Grafton chambers, councillors unanimously voted to adopt the council officer’s recommendation by exception to refuse the DA, therefore there was no debate about the item.

The DA was refused for eight reasons which can be found in the council’s meeting minutes at

https://clarencevalley.infocouncil.biz/Open/2023/11/CO_20231128_MIN_2349.PDF

The applicant now has the opportunity to address the reasons for refusal and relodge the DA with council for reconsideration.