A BLACKWOOD caravan park’s committee of management has expressed interest in moving eight cabins from an embattled park at Ballan, despite the future of the Ballan site and its eco-village proposal remaining in limbo.
Both sites are located on Crown land and are managed by the Department of Sustainability and Environment.
As reported by the Weekly, DSE announced it would evict 21 permanent tenants from Ballan’s Caledonian Caravan Park on July 25.
Many of the residents have a disability or are on pensions.
DSE claims the park, as set up, is a hazard to residents and staff and not suitable for public land.
In February, the DSE agreed to consider Ballan resident Paul Tatchell’s plan to turn the caravan park into a low-cost, sustainable eco-village for its residents.
But according to minutes published on March 28 by the Eco Village Working Group and seen by the Weekly, a council source confirmed the committee of management for Blackwood Mineral Springs Caravan Park had applied for a permit to relocate eight cabins from the Ballan park.
The Blackwood park rents caravans and camping sites to holiday renters and has no permanent residents.
The source, who did not want to be named, said if there were no objections to the application, it might not have to be tabled at a council meeting.
Mr Tatchell said it would be a “betrayal of good faith” if the cabins were removed before a decision had been made on the caravan park’s future.
“We have a business plan and we’re just waiting to see whether DSE will accept it and what [Environment] Minister [Ryan Smith] will say.”
DSE regional director Laurie Dwyer said the department had discussions with the Blackwood park about the cabins before it received Mr Tatchell’s eco-village proposal. He said the cabins were “all currently DSE assets”.
Mr Dwyer said DSE would not remove the cabins until the long-term future of the land was determined, but he would not confirm how many DSE actually owned.
“DSE has this week written to the proponent and council requesting an early meeting to clarify a number of matters relating to this proposal. It’s hoped the meeting will be held within the next few weeks to enable DSE to be in a position to advise the minister on the long-term future of the site,” Mr Dwyer said.
Blackwood Mineral Springs’s committee declined to comment.
A council spokesman confirmed no planning application had been lodged but could not
say whether a compliance permit was
being sought.
