Grave concern over tip site plan

A WASTE recycling centre will be closed to allow expansion of the city’s most southern cemetery, despite concerns of some residents.

Council has been warned by some hinterland residents that “closing the Mudgeeraba tip makes no sense” given the new Skyridge estate nearby will be home to 10,000 residents.

“It is absolutely ridiculous to close a waste facility utilised by locals regularly, to expand the cemetery. Particularly since there will be an additional 10,000 residents when the Skyridge development is finalised,” a resident wrote, in a submission to council.

“Surely a new cemetery can be built elsewhere in Mudgeeraba or the neighbouring suburbs where it will not have such a massive impact on the residents. Closing the dump makes no sense.”

The council in May undertook a Local Government Infrastructure Designation (LGID) for the Mudgeeraba Cemetery expansion which required public notification and responses.

An updated report by officers to council’s planning committee on Thursday estimated supply of remaining burial spaces would last only 18 months.

The potential expansion of the Mudgeeraba Cemetery into the adjacent Waste and Recycling Centre site and old quarry areas had been identified in previous consultant reports undertaken for City Cemeteries. Only 15 submissions were received by council with 12 not wanting the WRC to be closed. Two other submissions were opposed to cemeteries and an adjoining property owner requested more information about drainage issues.

Division 9 councillor Glenn Tozer told the Bulletin: “There’s no doubt making decisions between a peaceful place to remember our loved ones passed, and a convenient place to drop off our household waste has stimulated some interesting debate in our community.

“I didn’t expect to talk about death as much as I have over past months, but I was a little surprised that only 15 people wrote to us about the planned closure of the tip during this submission process.

“However, the Waste and Recycling Centres at Merrimac – under 10 minutes from the new development at Skyridge – and at Reedy Creek near the West Burleigh industrial area both offer better recycling and waste capability and will be much more efficient as the city continues to grow.

“Frankly, while it is much rarer that we grieve the loss of a loved one and remember them in a public cemetery, it is no less an important council service.”

Cr Tozer said the expanded cemetery would provide a supply of burial plots for another 15 to 20 years and visually appear as landscaped parkland.

Planning chair councillor Cameron Caldwell said council had conducted extensive consultation and identified a solution to a shortage of burial spaces.

“We know the Mudgeeraba cemetery has only 18 months of supply of burial plots remaining. Council identified the solution to this rapidly approaching issue by altering future use of part of an established council site,” he said.

THE Gold Coast City Council’s plans to expand the Mudgeeraba cemetery at the expense of a local waste recycling centre has no doubt been a source of angst for some residents in the suburb.

When it comes down to it, none of us particularly enjoy losing access to services that we have become accustomed to.

But in the case of the waste facilities at Mudgeeraba, council had to make an extremely tough call.

Either leave things the way they were so Mudgeeraba locals have a convenient spot to dump their household waste or see the cemetery run out of space and then have to find an alternative site for more burials.

This potentially would have come at a cost for ratepayers with council having to buy more property.

Local area councillor Glenn Tozer points out in today’s story, the Waste and Recycling Centres at Merrimac – under 10 minutes from the new development being undertaken at Skyridge – and at Reedy Creek near the West Burleigh industrial area both offer better recycling and waste capability for residents of the area.

Both of these services (waste management and cemeteries) are community expectations and with the capacity to handle the waste aspect of the equation at the two afformentioned sites, council really could only move in one direction on this situation.

As the saying goes, you can’t please all of the people all the time and this is one of those calls those put out will have to live with.