The NSW Department of Planning has issued draft approval conditions for a three-fold expansion of the Gunlake Quarry near Marulan.
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The Department has also endorsed the operators moving a maximum 590 trucks a day over the haul route, appalling Brayton Road residents. It represents a turnaround on its insistence in June that the company fully explore rail transport for its product.
The draft conditions were released to Goulburn Mulwaree Council in November. The Department has recommended conditional approval but the Planning Assessment Commission has the final say.
It is calling for a traffic management plan to be prepared in consultation with the Roads and Maritime service, a noise management plan, avoidance of ‘large convoys’ along the route, road upgrades and an acceleration lane at the Hume Highway intersection. The Department also asks that the primary crusher be enclosed four months following approval and for the company to acquire identified noise affected residences, if a request is made. Under the terms, Gunlake will reduce truck numbers from a 690 to 590 daily.
But it’s cold comfort to residents worried about noise and safety along what is also a bus route and road damage.
Community consultative committee member Ken Wray said there was “no evidence” that Gunlake had fully explored rail options, particularly the use of an existing siding at nearby Lynwood quarry and a connecting elevated conveyor belt.
“All sorts of ridiculous other options were concocted, valued at ludicrous prices then rejected,” he said.
“The CCC has been asking for a detailed analysis of the (Lynwood) option for over 12 months now, but has been frustrated at every turn.
“Running 400 to 500 fully laden quarry trucks a day, up and down a small winding country road like Brayton Road is a disaster waiting to happen, to say nothing of this extra, and unnecessary traffic on the Hume Hwy all the way to Sydney.”
Mr Wray said Holcim had demonstrated how a quarry could be “properly assimilated into the community with least impact” and called on Gunlake to follow their lead.
He also questioned why the crusher’s enclosure should wait four months after approval. Mr Wray said it could be heard already, 8km away and it should be sound proofed regardless of any approval.
“We are also rather surprised, and disappointed, that Council does not take a stronger position on this,” he told The Post.
“Gunlake's application will add huge costs to the repair bill for local roads, have a massive impact on people's quality of life, reduce land values, and raise unacceptable safety concerns. All for very little local economic benefits….It really is very disappointing.”
But Gunlake managing director Ed O’Neil said rail options were fully explored and discounted as “unfeasible.”
“The people saying this are either being disruptive or haven’t read our response to submissions,” he said.
An analysis by Hatch found that the planned haul route had the lowest cost at $1.5 million, a private haul road through Lynwood to the Marulan South interchange – $35m; and a haul road over to a new siding west of Lynwood for eventual distribution by truck from a Smeaton Grange loading facility – $70m to $75m.
The Marulan South interchange option also involved private acquisition of land. Gunlake said landowners had told them these properties were not available.
“There are no economically viable rail transport options,” the consultants concluded.
Mr O’Neil declined to comment on the Lynwood option, saying he had signed a confidentiality agreement with Holcim.
He also defended the four-month time frame for the crusher’s enclosure, maintaining it would take this long to build.
He pointed out the conditions were only in draft form and said he’d await the final document before commenting fully.
Planning response
Meantime, a spokeswoman for NSW Planning and Environment said the department accepted Gunlake’s findings that rail transport was “unviable.”
”The Department recommended strict conditions to manage and monitor truck movements and noise which included significant road improvements along Brayton Road, Ambrose Road and Red Hills Road in order to improve the safety of residents and other road users,” she said.
“Gunlake will also need to implement a range of management plans regarding noise, blasting, traffic and a drivers code of conduct.
“There is also a recommended requirement to communicate regularly with residents, including publicly reporting monitoring results and effectively responding to questions and complaints.”