​STOP

Hanson Construction Materials has stated that the exhibition of its Environmental Effects Statement for the proposed Bunyip North Quarry is  being delayed due to the Department of Environment, Land, Water and Planning (DELWP).
 

The statement comes following seven publicly announced delays in three years.
 

After purchasing its first property in Bunyip North in 2006, Hanson commenced its Environmental Effects Statement (EES) in 2015, advising residents that it would be complete by 2018.
 

The EES was ordered by Planning Minister Richard Wynne following unanimous community opposition to the quarry and, as stated by Mr Wynne, because ‘the proposal has potential for significant environmental effects, in particular on biodiversity, hydrology, groundwater and Aboriginal cultural heritage values, and amenity, over an operational period of many decades.’

Hanson Construction Materials Land and Mineral Reserves Manager Daniel Fyfe told The Mount Cannibal and District Preservation Group that Hanson is “awaiting the confirmation of the timetable from DELWP” before being able to proceed with exhibition of its EES.

Mr Fyfe has told the committee that Hanson expects the EES to be completed by June 2022.

"We are awaiting comments to allow us to finalise the reports and in turn seek approval from DELWP to put the EES on public display,” he said.
 

Secretary of the Mount Cannibal and District Preservation Group David Bywater said that open-ended delays are unacceptable.
 

“These comments are yet another blow to a community who has continuously been deceived by a company unwilling to own up to its incompetency,” Mr Bywater said.

“How could anyone, including any planning minster, trust this company to hold itself accountable for the damage their operations would inflict, or even trust that they will follow recommendations outlined in their EES, when they can’t even produce their documents within the allocated period?

“Anyone can see that this quarry is being proposed in a completely inappropriate location, but to have such an incompetent organisation running such an operation would be even more disastrous for Bunyip North and its surrounding regions.”
 

Hanson Construction Materials, a subsidiary of German mining giant Heidelberg Cement, is proposing to extract 2 million tones of granite every year from a new 800+ acre Bunyip North site for a period of 70-100 years.
 

At full production, the quarry would require just 7-10 people on site and would see 550 truck movements on local roads and the Princes Highway daily.
 

Hanson and Vic Roads do not have plans to upgrade the roads or highway intersection at this time.

Within their EES referral documents, Hanson admitted to numerous social impacts including dust and noise emissions, ground vibrations, air blasts, road damage and alteration of landscape.

The mining company wants to remove 100+ acres of native vegetation, and their operation would remove three hills with a pit a further 160 metres below ground level.

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Mr Bywater said that Bunyip North was not the right location for the proposed massive operation.

“Hanson have not investigated any alternative sites for their proposal,” Mr Bywater said.

“Bunyip North is a totally inappropriate location for this kind of destruction, and with no alternative sites considered, there is no plausible way that Hanson can stand before the planning minister and say that this is the most appropriate site for their proposal.”

More than 6,000 people have signed the petition to stop the proposed quarry: Change.org petition