Huon woodchip port step nearer

THE State Government has granted Southwood Fibre consent to lodge a development application with the Huon Valley Council for a woodchip export facility on Crown land near Dover.

The Department of Primary Industries, Parks, Water and Environment consent to lodge the development application is for the facility at Strathblane, in the state’s far south.

“It is important to note that the Crown consent has only been given for the lodgement of the DA,” a DPIPWE spokeswoman said.

“If planning approval is given for the proposed development, the applicant will still be required to obtain separate ... consent from the Crown before commencing any works.”

The spokeswoman added landowner consent had also been given, meaning the public now has the opportunity to comment on the proposal dur- ing any future planning process.

“The landowner consent provided does not constitute, nor imply, any approval to undertake works,” she said.

Greens MP Rosalie Woodruff said that the decision to grant consent before October’s Huon Valley Council elections would allow Liberal Government-appointed Commissioner Adriana Taylor to make the final call on the project.

“The Government should withdraw Crown land consent until after the local government elections,” she said.

“The Huon Valley community have a right to be represented by a democratically elected council on a development that will transform the lives of hundreds of Huon Valley residents.”

Ms Woodruff said the proposal would see a large increase in log truck traffic and would transform Dover from a nature tourism precinct into an industrial port.