Use and development of your property for Tourism accommodation

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The Loddon Valley region is home to an impressive range of tourist attractions in our towns and rural areas.

Growing tourism and the visitor economy is a key aim of Loddon Shire Council, and the provision of a range of accommodation options is central to this.

There are many opportunities to develop and offer accommodation across the Shire as a private operator. These include:

  • Farm stay
  • Bed and breakfast
  • Motel
  • Cabins
  • Caravan parks
  • Holiday houses.

Use and development of your property for accommodation is likely to require approval from Council in the areas of planning, building and/or health. Compliance ensures that your property is safe and appropriate for guests; your accommodation will not impact the environment or your neighbours; and your guests or facilities will not be impacted by the environment (for example by bushfire or flood).

Common issues to be addressed when planning tourist accommodation include:

  • Ensuring accommodation in farming areas does not impact on the ability of you or your neighbours to undertake agriculture.
  • Ensuring that you are able to treat and contain waste water on your property without posing a risk to the environment or the health of you or your guests. If you rely on a septic tank, additional guests may require an upgrade to waste water treatment capacity. Tiny houses (even on wheels) will require waste water management that goes beyond a composting toilet.
  • Management of rubbish, noise, parking and visual impact.
  • Minimising risk from bushfire and flood.
  • Ensuring access to the facility (both the public road and internal driveway) is safe in all weather and can accommodate emergency vehicles.
  • Providing for disability access.

Permits that may be required include:

  • Planning permit for the use and/or development of land for accommodation.
  • Building permit for a new building or change of use of an existing building (including from a home to a holiday house).
  • Septic tank permit for any changes to an existing septic system (to accommodate additional occupants) or a new system to manage effluent from a new building (where you don’t have access to a reticulated sewer system).
  • In the case of a caravan park, registration under the Residential Tenancies Act (1997).

You may require no approvals, one or two of these approvals, or all of these listed approvals, depending on the nature and location of your proposal. The likelihood of gaining approval will be dependent on the location, design and scale of your proposal. Council staff are happy to advise and guide you through the approval process.

An absence of the appropriate approvals is likely to void any relevant insurance cover you hold.

If you propose to change the use of your land or to develop it, it is best to first discuss the proposal with the Loddon Shire Council's Planning Department. You can contact the Planning Department on (03) 5494 1200 to arrange an appointment.

If you wish to discuss the potential investment in tourism or economic growth in Loddon, you can contact the Tourism and Economic Development team on (03) 5494 1200.

 

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