The Department of Planning has recommended that the proposed expansion of the Martins Creek Quarry be approved despite overwhelming community opposition.
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The Independent Planning Commission will have the final say on the project following a two-day public hearing to be held on November 7-8.
After the expansion application was first lodged, Daracon was found by the Land and Environment Court to be unlawfully operating the site, which led to the quarry's operations being significantly scaled back. The initial expansion proposal, which was to transport up to 1.5 million tonnes of material by road a year for 30 years, was downsized.
Under a revised proposal Daracon is seeking to extract 1.1 million tonnes of material from the quarry each year for up to 25 years, with 500,000 tonnes transported by road annually through 280 truck movements a day and an expansion into new extraction areas.
Residents have accused the Department of Planning of ignoring their concerns that the project would have disastrous social and environmental impacts on the rural community.
"It's an unusual situation in that it's a project where the communities know what the impacts will be because they've already experienced them. Whereas with a new coal mine or a new development, all of the fears are just perceived Martins Creek Action Group spokesperson James Ashton said.
In its referral to the IPC, the department advised that 670 public submissions were received during the 60 day public exhibition period. Thirty one (4.6 per cent) of these submissions supported, 634 (94.6 per cent) objected, and five (0.7 per cent) commented on the project.
"The department acknowledges that there is a high degree of public interest in the project and the range of community concerns is also broad, including but not limited to impacts on the safety and efficiency of the local road network, noise, air quality, socio-economic, water resource and biodiversity impacts," the department's letter said.
It said Daracon had responded to feedback from the department, other government agencies and the community and made substantial changes to reduce the project's impacts while maintaining its economic viability.
"On balance, the department considers that the benefits of the project outweigh its residual costs and that the project is in the public interest and is approvable, subject to the recommended conditions of consent," the department said.
Mr Ashton predicted that, if approved, more residents would follow those that had already chosen to leave the area.
"The impacts have already occurred," he said.
"When you walk through the main village every house through the main street of Patterson has changed hands in the last 12 to 18 months. They were previously owned by people who had lived there for about 30 years."
A two-day public meeting will be held on Monday 7 November and Tuesday 8 November 2022 at Tocal Agricultural College starting from 10am.
Anyone wishing to speak at the public meeting - either in person, by videoconference or by telephone - must pre-register on the Commission's website using the Speaker Registration Form.
The deadline for speaker registrations is 12pm AEDT on Wednesday 2 November 2022.
Written submissions will be accepted until 5pm AEST on Tuesday 15 November 2022.
Written submissions can be lodged on the 'Have Your Say' portal on the Commission's website: www.ipcn.nsw.gov.au/have-your-say
The public meeting will be broadcast live online at www.ipcn.nsw.gov.au/
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Matthew Kelly
Matthew Kelly has worked as a journalist for more than 25 years. He has been working as a general reporter at the Newcastle Herald since 2018. In recent years he has reported on subjects including environment, energy, water security, manufacturing and higher education. He has previously covered issues including the health and environmental impacts of uncovered coal wagons in the Hunter Valley, the pollution of legacy of former industrial sites and freedom of information issues.
Matthew Kelly has worked as a journalist for more than 25 years. He has been working as a general reporter at the Newcastle Herald since 2018. In recent years he has reported on subjects including environment, energy, water security, manufacturing and higher education. He has previously covered issues including the health and environmental impacts of uncovered coal wagons in the Hunter Valley, the pollution of legacy of former industrial sites and freedom of information issues.
