By Belinda Nolan
BRIMBANK Council receives more than 20 complaints each month about businesses and residents failing to comply with planning laws.
The council last week revealed that it investigates around 23 complaints every month regarding illegal planning activities in the municipality.
Between November and December last year the council received a total of 38 complaints and issued five penalty notices to those failing to uphold planning laws. The previous month had seen a total of 31 complaints made.
Since October last year 57 complaints have been resolved, while 12 remain outstanding.
The majority of complaints relate to home occupation, failure to obtain a planning permit, or failing to uphold the conditions of a planning permit.
Other common complaints include objections to signage, beekeeping and car repairs.
The council is currently pursuing four land owners and operators in the Victorian Civil and Administrative Tribunal for failure to comply with the planning scheme following enforcement.
Cases include a Brooklyn site being used for treating logs without a planning permit and a transport depot at the centre of noise complaints.
Council officers have also been conducting regular inspections of Brooklyn’s Industrial Precinct and the North Sunshine Industrial Estate.
Since November last year, 26 properties have been inspected, with some businesses visited multiple times.
