MORNINGTON Peninsula Shire Council could look at allowing more secondary dwellings or tiny houses on house lots as a response to the municipality’s growing housing crisis.
At 7 February council meeting, Nepean ward Cr Susan Bissinger will call for a round-table workshop with councillors and relevant officers to explore pathways to “activate” secondary dwellings within the shire.
Currently there is no land use definition for ‘secondary dwelling’ within the Victorian Planning Scheme, and any change to include a specific definition would need to be undertaken by the state government.
In a report to council, strategic and infrastructure and planning manager Katanya Barlow noted that the Surf Coast Shire Council is currently trialling the “domestic use” of tiny houses on wheels as part of a targeted review of parts of its Community Local Law 2021.
In 2021, the council made a submission to the state government as part of a pilot program with councils for Greater Bendigo, Murrindindi, Kingston and Moreland trialling a secondary dwelling code. However, the pilot program ended with no changes being made to the Victorian Planning Scheme.
In a separate motion, Cr Bissinger is calling for the council to consider allowing shipping containers to be used at sporting grounds as “amenity blocks” to facilitate female participation in sports and as storage facilities for the arts community.
First published in the Mornington News – 8 February 2023
