ALONG with boosting the availability of industrial land in South Gippsland, small factories potentially with living quarters above them would help encourage more people to establish businesses in the area, boosting the local economy.
That is the view of Cr John Kennedy, who highlighted Korumburra and Nyora as places with potential for such developments.
South Gippsland Shire Council is undertaking an Industrial Land Supply Strategy to help identify locations for future industrial land in South Gippsland.
The Strategy will also consider potential zoning and rezoning opportunities.
“Housing and industrial businesses can co-exist in mixed-use zones; however, residential uses are generally not supported in industrial zones, albeit with a handful of exceptions,” council told the Sentinel-Times.
Cr Kennedy is a strong advocate for South Gippsland Shire Council, doing all he can to support people and the local economy during the current cost-of-living challenges, having expressed that view during council meetings.
“People are leaving here, particularly kids; they go to Melbourne to work,” Cr Kennedy said, noting a lack of opportunities locally such as apprenticeships.
He believes Korumburra needs a lot more area available for factories, potentially including some heavy industry.
As for smaller factories, he points out there are examples in Melbourne in places such as Moorabbin of such facilities, including attached living quarters.
“A lot of people can’t afford a house and to buy a factory,” he said, remarking that he’s spoken to the planning department at South Gippsland Shire Council, and they’d look at the possibility of such building projects.
“A tiler or carpenter or plumber, they’d want a small factory of 200-300 square metres, and some of these places would have living quarters above,” Cr Kennedy said.
