A MARULAN quarry company says plans for a major rural subdivision will jeopardise its operations, worth millions of dollars to the local economy.
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Regional manager of Boral Quarries ACT/NSW David Bolton told a recent council meeting that if developer, Xcel Properties, was allowed to go ahead with its proposal, the quarry would struggle to meet consent conditions.
His main problem is noise.
The company wants to develop up to 20 ten-hectare lots beside the Hume Highway at Marulan, known as Medway. The plan has been considerably scaled down from the original 1000-lot proposal more than seven years ago, which the NSW Planning Department rejected. But it’s still meeting resistance.
Xcel Properties is seeking an amendment to Goulburn Mulwaree’s LEP to reduce minimum lot size at Medway from 100ha to 10ha.
Mr Bolton says simply that homes and quarry operations don’t mix.
“We don’t believe the Medway proposal has proven that it won’t have an adverse impact,” he told councillors.
He pointed out that Boral’s private rail line, transporting quarry product from Marulan Limestone Mine and the new Peppertree Quarry, borders the eastern side of the subdivision. It then joins the main southern railway line at Medway Junction.
Mr Bolton said land use conflicts would inevitably result.
“This application needs more assessment of the noise impacts to make a decision and resolve the issues in the area,” he said.
Mr Bolton stressed that Peppertree Quarry’s site had been chosen due to the low impact on neighbours and the company had spent an extra $15 million securing extra buffer zones to comply with consent conditions.
Yet 21 rail movements would be going past the subdivision every day.
He had not seen any noise modelling on the rail or quarry operations within Medway’s application.
“(In addition) Peppertree Quarry’s future resource will be closer to the development,” he told councillors.
“…If approved, the developer won’t have to manage the conflicts, it will be Boral and the Council.”
Mr Bolton said Boral had spent $200 million on Peppertree Quarry, employed hundreds of people across its two Marulan operations and spent $86m annually operating them. He predicted a significant impact for Goulburn and district if they were jeopardised in any way.
Boral argues that compliance with conditions can only be achieved with adequate buffers, field bunding or noise barriers.
Xcel Properties’ Simon Howell also addressed councillors, saying noise impacts had been addressed in a draft development control plan it had provided to Council. It had not received an answer on this document.
“We don’t disagree that an acoustic report needs to be done but it is in the DCP and will be in the development application,” Mr Howell said.
People buying lots would be well aware of the quarry and rail line’s proximity. Acoustic barriers and double glazing would mitigate the impact.
Nevertheless, he undertook to commission noise modelling in coming weeks so the LEP amendment wasn’t held up any further.
Councillors heeded planners’ advice to defer the Medway planning proposal for more information.
The subdivision, aimed at tree changers, has hit other planning hurdles.
The Environment Protection Authority backed Boral’s argument about noise in its submission, while the Office of Environment and Heritage and Catchment Management Authority (Southern Rivers) believed the plan was “not consistent with the Sydney to Canberra corridor strategy.” The strategy aims in part to “limit inappropriate adjoining development and access points off the Hume Highway.”
The Sydney Catchment Authority and Department of Primary Industries have also objected. Council and the state government have questioned the need for more 10ha lots at Marulan given that over 20,000ha has already been changed from 100ha minimum lots to 40ha, 20ha and 10ha blocks.
Xcel Properties director Kim Clarke previously told Council he reduced the lot size after speaking to its planners.
He was frustrated in 2012 that the matter had dragged on for so long and maintained there was ample demand from Sydneysiders for the smaller blocks.
Mayor Geoff Kettle declared a pecuniary interest in the matter and left the room during debate. He has a property and business in the Marulan area.