General News
21 March, 2023
Shire to decide on quarry permit
CORANGAMITE Shire Council will soon decide on a planning application for a local limestone quarry expansion.
CORANGAMITE Shire Council will soon decide on a planning application for a local limestone quarry expansion.
South Coast Lime has lodged a permit application for expansion of its existing quarry at the Timboon-Curdievale Road site.
The application seeks planning approval to establish a second staged quarry pit at the site, with a life of about 50 years.
According to the application documents, the site is “favourably located for extractive industry due to its relative isolation from nearby dwellings and main roads which help to minimise amenity impacts external to the site.
“There will be a visual landscape impact that may be particularly experienced by landholders to the west of the Curdies River and south of the site,” the document reads.
“These impacts cannot be ameliorated. At the end of the quarry life, these impacts will be substantially removed through site rehabilitation and maturing planted native vegetation buffers.
“Over time, the site will be improved from an environmental perspective through extensive waterway vegetation buffers.”
The proposal is to expand the quarry both in volume and lifespan, by extracting limestone from a second put – a proposed north pit in four additional stages, five stages in total.
The Corangamite Catchment Management Authority (CCMA) was consulted regarding flood information and buffers prior to processing with preparation for the work plan.
“The CCMA provided advice regarding buffers to the various waterways: 60m from the top of the bank of the Curdies River, 50m from the main tributary located within the subject land, and 20m from the other minor tributaries,” the application reads.
“These have been adhered to in the design of the activity area and are shown in the relevant site plans.
“Additional recommendations were to revegetate the buffer areas, and to ensure that actions are taken to ensure works will not result in sediment entering the waterways.
“The sites location adjacent to the Curdies River requires consideration of off-site impacts to that river.”
According to the documents, at the end of the life of the quarry, the site would be returned to farming and would be screened from surrounding properties due to the reduced levels of the finished ground, the screening benefit of more mature vegetation and the return of the site to a vegetated condition.
“The final land topography is likely to be evident due to the contrast with surrounding natural landform,” the application reads.
“This is considered a minor impact when weighed against other benefits of extracting the resource.
“Corangamite Shire will need to consider whether these local changes to the valley landscape are acceptable.
“Decision making will need to have regard to the significance of the local landscape, noting that the landscape is not significant at a regional or state level, the location and availability of the resource and the benefits of extraction.”
The document reads state, regional and local planning policy seeks to support extractive industries, “provided any environmental impacts are avoided or ameliorated where they cannot be avoided, and subject to management of potential amenity impacts off-site, including noise, dust, traffic and visual impacts”.
“Positive outcomes from the establishment of the north pit include the ongoing secure provision and benefit of providing local farmers (and) the wider district with a valuable product to increase crop yield and productivity, and benefits of limestone’s other uses in construction or other uses where demand exists,” the application states.
Residents have until Wednesday, March 31 to make a submission on the application.
To view the full application visit www.corangamite.vic.gov.au