By ALESHA CAPONE
MORE than 60 Brimbank residents have been caught out operating unauthorised businesses from their homes during the past 12 months.
A Brimbank City Council spokesman told Star there had been “66 non-compliant home occupation uses in Brimbank” during the timeframe.
A recent council meeting agenda described unauthorised home occupations as “common complaints received by council” and said “these generally accounted for a significant proportion of the total request for services received each month”.
The council spokesman said “unauthorised home occupations” involved a resident operating a business – without a permit – from their house.
“The issue with non-compliance is when the activity taking place is something other than home occupation, such as motor repairs, a shop or an office with numerous employees,” the council spokesman said.
“These types of uses are not allowed in residential areas and are better located in business or industrial zones.
“Council’s planning compliance officers may inspect a premises and speak with the owner/occupier about the nature of the use taking place.
“If the business use does not meet the definition of a home occupation, then it will be required to cease operation.”
The Brimbank spokesman said the council usually supported people with home offices or who were self-employed.
“Under the planning scheme, a home occupation can have a resident and one other person, who doesn’t live in the premises, working there,” the council spokesman said.
“The occupation area is limited to 50 square metres – any more than this area requires a planning permit.”
In December last year, Brimbank City Council took a Cairnlea landowner to the Victorian Civil and Administrative Tribunal (VCAT) after he was found operating a store from his home.
VCAT ordered the Cairnlea resident to cease using his residence as a store unless he obtained a permit from the council.
St Albans Traders Association secretary, Asip Demiri, said people often started home businesses to save money, or when they were starting out.
“I don’t think a business centre like the St Albans shopping area would be that affected by a business operated from home,” he said.
Residents concerned about home occupations can contact the council on 9249 4000.
