It owns land flagged for rezoning from primary production to general industrial and “to ensure no conflict of interest there has been a separation between council’s role of the land and the assessment of the planning proposal”, according to a report presented to MidCoast Council administrator John Turner on February 8.

“To address this issue there has been a clear separation of staff who deal with the consultant as the landowner and the strategic planning department who are responsible for assessing the application.”

The council owned land is lot 681 DP617842 and a large portion of it will accommodate the proposed Cundletown bypass.