FREESTYLE motocross champion Cam Sinclair has slammed a Casey council decision to reject plans for motorbike ramps on his Cranbourne South property.
Casey councillors voted unanimously to reject Mr Sinclair’s planning application at the Tuesday night planning meeting – despite a council officer’s recommendation to grant the permit.
Mr Sinclair put in an application to the council for permission to construct two jump ramps, a foam pit and a dirt landing ramp on his property to use to practice jumps for his profession as a freestyle motocross rider.
Ms Sinclair is a Crusty Demon star and took out the X Games ‘Best Trick’ event winning himself the illusive gold medal in 2010.
The council received 32 objections to the motorbike facilities from local residents – the main reason councillors voted to refuse the application.
Objections were based on concerns including noise, that it would decrease the value of neighbouring properties, excessive amounts of dust and that it would set precedent in the area.
The officers still recommended that the permit be granted with a number of conditions including that it could only be used four days a week, between 10am and 3pm and for no more than three hours a day.
The application also stated that only Mr Sinclair would be allowed to use the ramps and no spectators were permitted on the property.
But Cr Ablett, who moved the motion for the permit to be refused, said there were too many objections from local residents to be ignored.
“This is in my ward, and there were a high number of objections to it,” he said.
“I need to take into consideration all local residents and a lot were against it.
“I put this up with an apology to Cam, as I know it was his dream to practice on his own property.
“But unfortunately, we have to take into consideration how it affects other residents.”
Other reason the permit was rejected included that the proposal would have an adverse impact on the amenity of the area by virtue of creating additional noise and the development and associated use was incompatible with surrounding land uses.
Mr Sinclair said he was disappointed the application was rejected and that he believed local resident had a misunderstanding of what he wanted to do on his property.
“When the council sent out the letter to residents, they worded it as if I wanted to build a big motorcycle track,” he said.
“People might have thought there would be 10 to 20 dirt bikes flying around a track.
“That’s completely different to what I do.
“I just wanted a couple of jumps to practice on.”
Mr Sinclair said he used to practice at his in-laws property in Cranbourne South, but the council told me that was no longer possible as it was green wedge land with high conservation value.
“For five years I was riding there and didn’t get one complaint,” he said.
“When the council told me I could no longer ride on it, I had a meeting with the council.
“They told me the best thing I could do was buy my own property with no zone problems and set up my own ramps.
“So I sold my house in Botanic Ridge, spent lots of money on my new property and did the right thing and applied for permits.
“The council told me there would be no problems on this land, as long as I got approval from my neighbours.
“It’s just so frustrating that it can’t go ahead now.”
Mr Sinclair said it would only be a short term permit as he only has about three years left in him in the sport.
“I just want people to understand what I wanted to do on the property.
Mr Sinclair said he will now reapply for the permit in three months when he can and in the meantime visit all his neighbours to explain what he wants and what he is about.
