Row threat to highway

Trucked soil to cost $11.4m

RESTRICTIONS preventing locally sourced clay and soil being used in the Princes Highway duplication will add $11.4 million to its cost, a Birregurra quarry owner says.

And a legal stoush between the MCG Quarries and BMD Constructions — the company responsible for building the four-lane road through Warncoort — also threatens to stymie the duplication.

MCG Group owner Bill McDonald said $11.4 million would be added to the cost of the duplication because BMD Constructions was sourcing material from Werribee.

“They are paying $15 extra a tonne and there is 760,000 tonnes needed to build stage 2,” Mr McDonald said.

Agreements between owners of wind farm land near Birregurra and its developer, Acciona, prevent gravel, clay and soil being sourced from within a 15km radius of the wind development site.

Mr McDonald, who wants to set up a quarry within the buffer zone on Mooleric Rd, Birregurra — to provide clay and soil for the construction of the Princes Highway and the wind farm near Birregurra — alleges the agreements will impact his business.

Colac Otway Shire chief executive Sue Wilkinson said BMD Constructions had lodged seven applications to extract clay from properties along the Princes Highway.

“Council has issued a notice of decision to grant a permit on two of the applications. The remaining five applications, three of which were received last month, are under consideration,” Ms Wilkinson said.

She said MCG Quarries had applied to the Victorian Civil and Administrative Tribunal to have two of the permits reviewed.

Princes Highway duplication project director Tim Price said: “Sites where a permit is required are not the only options, there are alternatives including other quarry sites within a reasonable vicinity of the project.”

Mr Price said the project remained on time despite the MCG QuarriesBMD Constructions stoush.

Last week Western Victoria MP Simon Ramsay said the tussle could delay the project by up to 12 months.

A contract for the Warncoort to Colac East section of the Princes Highway duplication is expected to be awarded in coming months.