A PLANNING panel will this week decide two more quarry developments for the region.
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One, a project to extract, process and transport up to 30,000 cubic metres of basalt annually for five and a half years, is having its second attempt at approval.
This time, Argyle (NSW) Pty Ltd, headed up by developer Peter Miller, could be lucky.
The council has recommended deferred commencement of the Tiyces Lane quarry, subject to satisfying conditions.
The Southern Joint Regional Planning Panel will consider the proposal when it sits in Goulburn today.
The meeting in the council chambers will also decide the Eastern Sand and Gravel Company’s bid to expand its Marulan South operation from 25,000 tonnes to 120,000 tonnes annually.
It will source the product from the adjacent Boral limestone mine.
Mr Miller has resubmitted his $166,000 plan for the Tiyces Lane quarry to the state government, following Council’s 2011 refusal. Councillors at that time decided there was insufficient information to allow “a full and proper assessment.”
Now the application has been lodged as a designated development under a State Environmental Planning Policy for mining and extractive industry.
The DA has attracted 17 public submissions, mostly objecting. They raised concerns about traffic generation, noise, permissibility, Mr Miller’s past developments and loss of amenity at adjoining residences.
When the application was discussed at an April council meeting, councillors called for a condition banning rock breaking machinery and blasting.
They were picking up on residents’ submissions regarding noise.
One nearby resident, Rod Lang, described the company’s noise and dust impact reports as “flawed.”
Others questioned the developer’s compliance with a 1000 metre setback rule from houses.
In conditions, the council has called for an alignment of Tiyces Lane near the Hume Highway to make it suitable as a haulage route. Up to 20 37-tonne trucks are proposed daily.
Likewise, it wants the pavement strengthened and the road widened.
The Roads and Maritime Service has insisted on a southbound declaration lane on the Hume Highway.
Trucks will not be able to turn right out of Tiyces Lane onto the highway but have to travel south to the Goulburn interchange and head north.
Mr Miller contends there’s a need for the quarry in the area. He told councillors it was the only containing the highly fractious Olivine basalt.
A 2006 prefeasibility report estimated the 1.2 hectare resource was worth $400 million. Meantime, the council is also recommending deferred commencement for Eastern Sand and Gravel’s expansion.
The proposal involves construction of a storage building, a primary processing structure to hold crushing, screening and drying machinery, and other infrastructure.
Once again, Council is calling for upgrade of the haul route and payment of section 94 contributions for the entire production amount.
The company previously argued the 0.0462c/tonne/km rate should only apply to the requested 95,000 tonne expansion, not the original 25,000 tonne approval.
The council is currently reviewing its section 94 rate for quarries in response to residents’ concerns. Today’s meeting of the Southern Regional Planning Panel starts at 2pm.
Quarries in Goulburn Mulwaree:
- Boral’s Peppertree at Marulan South - aggregates for concrete, asphalt and railway ballast, among other products.
- Boral’s Marulan South Limestone mine - generates three million tonnes and 130,000 tonnes of shale per annum.
- Gunlake Quarry, Brayton Rd, Marulan - 750,000 tonnes of aggregates for concrete, construction and asphalt. Currently seeking an expansion to two million tonnes annually.
- Holcim’s Lynwood Quarry, Marulan - consent to extract five million tonnes annually for 30 years.
- Holcim’s Johnniefeld’s quarry operating since 1981. The company plans to wind down this project once Lynwood is fully operational.