PINDIMAR'S proposed land based abalone farm has been given the thumbs down by Great Lakes councillors, despite being approved at a council meeting in January last year, subject to three conditions which were since met.
The project was rejected by six votes to five.
The proponent of the abalone farm, Graham Housefield, said he was amazed at the councillors' about face.
"We met the three conditions they imposed, which covered vegetation management for conservation, water quality monitoring and bonding for performance, and had the recommendation for approval from the experts in the planning and environment section of the council.
"I went to the council meeting last week expecting to see them finally end five years of negotiations but that didn't happen.
"They obviously forgot that they had given me approval subject to those conditions and overturned their own decision.
"All they were supposed to be doing was to ensure the conditions were met and give final approval.
"I just cannot understand the councillors' reasoning, especially when they had already given qualified approval."
Mr Housefield said he was now considering his options, which included appealing to the Land and Environment Court or submitting the project to the State Government.
"Surely they know that if I appeal in the Land and Environment Court I have a very good case and will probably win.
"Defending their decision could cost the council thousands of dollars."
Mr Housefield said he understood that there was now a move by some councillors for a recission motion to be put at the next council meeting to overturn the decision.
During debate on the issue, Cr Len Roberts, who comes from the Tea Gardens area near where the farm site is located, said, "Are we to be the first to allow an abalone farm in our pristine waters? I for one hope not."
Cr Lynette Lawry took a counter view, saying, "Not one government department has knocked this project back. There is no reason why we should not approve it."
In a report to the council, its Development Assessment Planner Alexandra Macvean recommended that the farm be given development approval because all matters raised in council resolutions from September 2003 to February 2006 had been addressed.
In his original application, Mr Housefield said that the farm would take up to four years to reach maximum productivity and that it would be self-sustaining after the fifth year. By then it would employ six full time and three part time employees.
Abalone produced from the farm would be sold as live product and there would be no processing on site.
The integrated development application from Mr Housefield's company was lodged with the council in March 2001 and sought approval to produce 60 tonnes of abalone a year. This council later reduced this to 30 tonnes.
The matter was debated at the council's January and February meetings when it was deferred to allow all councillors to be present to vote on it. Despite this, not all councillors were present when the decision was taken last week, because the Deputy Mayor Cr Jan McWilliams was on sick leave.
At maximum production the abalone farm could be expected to produce abalone worth $1.5 million a year.
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