Caithlin Meave, a former shire councillor, bought a property in Yapeen in 2003, where she now lives in a small, one bedroom structure. Three years ago, Ms Meave built four Geo-domes that sit on raised platforms with doors.
Initially Caithlin was hoping to house woofers in the domes, but after learning she needed to pay a large sum for a farm stay permit, she decided to use the structures for storage and for friends and family to stay when they visited, with the long-term intention to house an older couple who are experiencing itinerant homelessness in one of the structures.
The domes were brought to the councils attention in 2022, and after attending the property council officers classified the domes as 10A structures ie non-habitable structures- sheds, carports and private garages.
“To say they are class 10A buildings is ludicrous. They are made of pipes, held together with zip lock ties, with a canvas outer. They sit on platforms that are movable and the tops are moveable. It can’t get less building than that,” Ms Meave said.
“To penalise people for being innovative, intelligent and creative, that seems like the antithesis of everything we’re after in our culture. Surely we want innovation, surely we want imagination?” Ms Meave took the matter to the Building Appeals Board earlier this year who affirmed the council’s building order prohibiting use and occupation of the four domes, unless permitted by the municipal building surveyor.
“They’re saying just take them down and it will be fine. There’s a total lack of compassion and consideration there,” Ms Meave said.
“These cost, all up for a movable deck and everything, around $30,000 but I can’t sell these, because no one is allowed to put them up.”
The Mail spoke to Mount Alexander Shire Council Director Infrastructure and Development Michael Annear who said the approval of dwellings or structures on property is regulated by State and Federal legislation.
“Council uses the following legislation to assess land use, construction standards and building safety features – the Planning Scheme, the Planning and Environment Act, the Building Act (1993), Building Regulations (2018) and the National Construction Code,” he said.
“On the other hand we use our municipal local laws to protect the amenity of private property, and regulate the activities on and uses of private property. “Council does not have the authority to issue permits in contradiction with state legislative requirements,” Mr Annear said.
“No further alterations can be made (to the domes) at this stage, due to an order from the Building Appeals Board.”
