Quarry report delay angers residents

A deferred date for Hanson Materials to complete an Environmental Effects Statement for a proposed granite quarry at Bunyip North has angered the Mount Cannibal and District Preservation Group.

According to the group the EES ordered in 2015 by Planning Minister Richard Wynne will now not be completed until mid-2020.

MCDPG president Bill Pearson described it as a terrible blow to nearby residents.

“It has already been 12 years since Hanson’s first bought property at Bunyip North for a quarry and the deferral of the EES means residents will continue to have an uncertain future and cannot make decisions regarding their homes or properties”.

Adding to the annoyance of people living in the area is that they are being asked to identify any errors in a “receptor map” compiled by Hansons that identifies dwellings surrounding the proposed quarry site by July 13.

Garfield North resident Katherine Lee said the time limit on identifying errors was unreasonable.

Perhaps Hansons should use their own delay (in finalising an EES) to visit all residents, find out first-hand the issues people have and complete the map itself, she said.

Preservation Group secretary David Bywater fired off an email to Hansons’ project manager for the Bunyip North quarry Stephanie Salinas last week echoing Ms Lee’s sentiments and querying why a well-resourced organisation cannot complete an EES in under fourand-a-half years.

He asked whether she considered the further delay fair to residents.

Mr Bywater stated the community believed it had been treated with contempt (by Hansons) for too long and the company gave no consideration to the people living in the area, who raise their kids there, enjoy their current lifestyles and have been waiting since 2006 to know what their futures hold.

The Mount Cannibal and District Preservation Group is concerned about the effects a quarry would have on the popular reserve, local flora, fauna, groundwater and housing and the impacts from large movements of heavy vehicles, dust and noise.

In its most recently published project update last month Hansons said it would use the extra time from deferring the EES to update resource information, develop additional details on operating plant options and conceptual staging for quarry development.

Following that the final phase of a number of technical studies will be completed.

The company said its next community information session would now be conducted early next year.