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Shock on mine expansion

7/5/2022

7 Comments

 
PictureDandy Premix at Grantville
By Catherine Watson
 
Bass Coast Shire Council has expressed shock at the Planning Minister’s decision to approve a massive expansion of a Grantville sand mine despite more than 70 objections.
 
Richard Wynne’s approval this week permits Dandy Premix to clear 13 hectares of vegetation in a Western Port Woodlands biolink for a new pit and to massively expand its current pit, including digging below the water table.
 
As part of the planning permit conditions, the company will be permitted to increase truck movements from 120 to 240 a day; to operate for longer hours – until 2am on weekdays and 10pm on Saturdays despite residents living within 300 metres of the site. ​

Bass Coast Mayor Michael Whelan said serious community and environmental concerns about the impact of the project had been ignored.
 
 “This decision runs counter to the Distinctive Areas and Landscapes objective of revegetation and protecting native vegetation.
 
“Dandy Premix has not met the revegetation requirements of the current permit and the wildlife corridor that was to be planted in 2013 is still not complete.
 
“The environment is our economy in Bass Coast, however this decision by the State Government shows that it does not put the same value on the environment as it does on the economy, which is incredibly concerning,”
 
Dandy Premix’s application drew 73 objections before the Planning Minister called in the application in November 2020 at the request of the company, effectively sidelining the council.
 
In its own submission, the council argued that any clearing of vegetation should be contingent on revegetation areas being established to a level adequate to serve as a biolink as per the company’s original agreement with the council.
 
An independent planning panel heard submissions by the applicant and objectors last March-April and presented their report to the Minister in June. Mr Wynne sat on the report for 10 months before rubber stamping it this week.
 
Save Western Port Woodlands (SWPW) spokesperson Tim O’Brien said there could be no justification for removing a crucial biolink in rare coastal forest to get sand when abundant supplies were available elsewhere.
 
“The Daniel Andrews Government talks tough on protecting the environment, but it’s missing in action when it comes to putting reasonable limits on a destructive industry. 
 
“This makes a joke of the community’s wishes. We will be calling on Bass Coast Shire Council and the Department of Environment, Land, Water and Planning to be a lot more vigilant this time round in ensuring the company actually meets its obligations.”
 
Mr O’Brien said the Minister’s decision disregards the warnings in an expert report by Professor Dick Wettenhall on the risks of sand washing releasing toxic effluents into sensitive aquatic ecosystems, including the Western Port tidal mudflats, barely 300 metres away from Dandy Premix.
 
The increase in truck movements is a major concern for SWPW members Gil Smith and Janice Hughes in Deep Creek Road.
 
 “We’re already copping about 30 trucks an hour going past our place,” Mr Smith said. “It starts early in the morning. Another 120 a day is only going to increase the noise.”
 
Sand dust blowing from Dandy Premix was also a major problem for nearby residents over the past summer. Ms Hughes said the dust exacerbated her lung problems and sometimes made it difficult for her to breathe. She cleans surfaces every day and has to wash her car windscreen every time before she can drive.  
 
Several objectors raised the dust issue but the panel accepted company assurances that dust treatment is adequate.  However it also recommends an investigation to determine the potential risk of exposure to respirable crystalline silica, which can cause an incurable lung disease.
 
Mr O’Brien said the Dandy Premix decision was an indication of the Government’s determination that nothing should be permitted to obstruct sand mining, even in the Bass Coast Distinctive Area and Landscape.
 
“It seems like this cossetted industry is more valuable than not just the environment but also Bass Coast’s much more economically beneficial tourism industry and even residents themselves.
 
“The Planning Minister is supposed to weigh up a balance for the community between development and the environment and social issues. We seem to be going backwards – this approval clearly demonstrates a one-eyed look at the situation, with virtually no positives to balance the negatives.”
 
Catherine Watson is a member of Save western Port Woodlands.

7 Comments
Joy Button
9/5/2022 03:09:17 pm

I try to go through life being optimistic as life is so short. But I was very disappointed with Richard Wynne's approval to expand the sand mining, and to go below sea level and not to reprimand and/or fine the mining company for not adhering to the guidelines to make good the damage that has been, as required under the previous mining works.
I expected more than the plan just being rubber stamped. So sad.

Reply
Margaret Lee
9/5/2022 06:41:37 pm

This is outrageous, No Community Consultation, ignoring objections, no local Government Consultation and blatant ignoring for 9 months of Prof Wettenhall's paper on the dangers of contamination by chemicals used in Sand washing.

Does Mr Wynne have shares in Sand mining Companies???

Reply
Daryl Hook
10/5/2022 09:17:53 am

Usually a supporter of private enterprises with government control to prevent excessiveness-and local residents speaking out when the system fails .So what went wrong? Thanks for trying so hard to all those who wrote songs ,made posters,stood beside the highway and tried desperately to save the Westrenport Woodlands.

Reply
Tricia Hogan
10/5/2022 12:23:20 pm

How can this happen, so sad

Reply
Meryl link
12/5/2022 10:00:53 pm

A succinct summing-up of an appalling situation, Catherine. Residents of Bass Coast Shire were invited by Council to make submissions on the proposed expansion of the mine. But , when the Minister took it out of Council control, submissions were still supposed to be taken into account.

But where is the evidence of that? When even a professor of the calibre of Professor Dick Wettenhall has his report on the risk of sand mining practices polluting Western Port Bay, a Ramsar site, apparently ignored, does anyone in authority take our opinions and arguments seriously? Or does it just tick a box for Government to say it has gone through the motions of consultation?

To save Bass Coast’s precious remnant pre-European vegetation, it needs champions in Parliament, just as the whole planet needs champions all over the world to save it. If not, the people exploiting the environment and its resources for non-sustainable ‘development’ will continue to make money at the expense of the environment and the planet. Many of these ‘developers’ will die before they see the worst of the consequences of their actions. However, today’s young people and future generations will be left to suffer the consequences.

Let us hope the groundswell of public opinion will build and its voice become so loud politicians will listen to it and the Science and take action before it is too late.

Reply
Philip Westwood link
13/5/2022 12:58:56 pm

It's odd that the Shire expresses concern at the decision. It supported the wholesale destruction of native vegetation, including on Bass River frontage, on another proposed extraction site in Grantville. No action has been taken because it deemed that a permit was not required.

Reply
Peter
18/5/2022 04:14:02 pm

Let's not forget come November.

Reply



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