At the ordinary meeting of Hilltops Council on June 22, council’s Administrator Wendy Tuckerman endorsed a recommendation by staff to appoint an Independent Hearing and Assessment Panel (IHAP) to assist in the process of assessing a Development Application for a piggery, within the former Harden Shire, currently before council.
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According to council’s general manager Anthony McMahon, the formation of the IHAP does not change who makes the final determination on the application.
“The IHAP plays an advisory and independent assessment role in the development assessment process and they will be providing their recommendations back to council staff who will then provide a final recommendation to be put before council and considered by council’s Administrator,” Mr McMahon said.
The IHAP is expected to consist of five members with expertise in the fields of soils, groundwater, odour, biodiversity and traffic.
“We are currently undertaking the process of sourcing panel members who will then meet and be briefed on the application and provided with all relevant information relating to the application,” Mr McMahon said.
“It is likely they will also undertake a site visit before undertaking an assessment of available information and reporting back with recommendations relating to their respective areas of expertise.”
A report on the development is anticipated to be put before council at its September meeting with the exact timing dependent on both the timeframe required to allow the IHAP to undertake its assessment as well as timing of responses from several government agencies.
“Because the development is considered integrated development under planning legislation council is required to seek what are known as general terms of agreement from relevant state government agencies before determining the development. Council is still not certain as to when all general terms of agreement will be received.”
