Thirty residents met in Barnawartha yesterday to form the Concerned Residents Opposing Indigo Council, aiming to encourage the council to lift the ban.

Residents fear it may take between three and five years before a review’s findings are implemented, forcing them to put their lives on hold.

Leading the group is Max Bird, who with wife, Wendy, bought a rural block on the Wodonga-Yackandandah road almost 10 years ago.

The land came with an approved building envelope from the Albury-Wodonga Corporation but that original approval had elapsed and the land was re-zoned farming in 2006.

In June, Indigo councillors said no to their plans to build a home.

The Birds will take their case to a Victorian Civil and Administrative Tribunal hearing on November 11.

Mr Bird said the formation of the group was to let the public know about a ban he says is wrong.

“They are saying to those who buy land for lifestyle reasons that ‘we don’t want you’,” he said.

Mr Bird said yesterday’s meeting was attended by three of the candidates for this month’s Indigo Council election, Bernard Gaffney, Emmerick Teissl and Alison Pockley, as well as member for Benambra, Bill Tilley.

He said similar bans across Victoria meant the impact of the review of farming zone land was being felt across the state and the group could be extended under the same name of Concerned Citizens Opposing Councils into other areas.

Yesterday’s meeting was also attended by Peter Groth of Moyhu who said he was facing similar circumstances with a development application he had made to Alpine Council.

Mr Bird said the group would now e-mail all 16 candidates for Indigo Council to determine their policy.

For further details about the group contact Mr Bird at maxbirdy@bigpond.com or telephone 0409 052 797.

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