Building book anger

Erin Pearson
SURF Coast’s council has spent “scarce ratepayer funds” producing a 77-page book telling residents how to build their homes, according to a councillor.
Joe Remenyi said shire staff spent a year working on the book despite the availability of similar existing publications.
The book of planning guidelines on “sustainable” housing design advises residents how to build in accordance with “coastal and rural image”.
Councillors voted at a meeting last week to launch the book in three months with an “education campaign” on “sustainable design excellence”.
Cr Remenyi expressed concern about the intent of the book.
“I can say I’m very pleased to have the opportunity to read it but there are similar publications out there,” he said.
“It’s spending scarce ratepayer funds we don’t need to spend.”
Cr Remenyi, an economist, told the meeting he had no choice but to vote in favour of the book after council sunk so much time and effort into its production.
“I would have opposed the council’s involvement in this if we were at the beginning of this process not the end,” he said.
“The money is gone but that’s water under the bridge, we might as well finish what we started.”
Cr Libby Mears defended the book as “a cutting-edge document”.
“Yes, this has been a long time coming but many people choose to come to costal townships because they look different,” she said.
“We are evolved now; it’s about living sustainably in this environment. I think the guidelines approach assists to enshrine something’s that’s very precious – it’s about living well in our community.”
The book’s introduction said it was intended to “inspire landowners, builders and designers/architects to design homes that are site responsive, environmentally friendly and aesthetically pleasing”.
Cr Mears suggested developers would’ve used their own agendas in the book if the publication had been left in their hands.
Cr Rose Hodge said council produced the book “in-house” to limit costs.
“We have seen expertise we haven’t seen before in the offic,” she said.
Surf Coast Ratepayers Association president Spencer Leighton told council to butt out of residents’ housing choices.
“People will design what they want and the council should stop wasting our money and mind its own business,” he said.