Phone 4342 2070 Fax 4342 2071

2002 (c) Peninsula Community Access Newspaper Inc

 

Quarry proposal rejected

 

Gosford Council has unanimously rejected a proposal to rezone at the old Bulls Hill quarry site for a recycling plant.

Residents of Woy Woy Bays area argued, at the March 5 council meeting, that a recycling facility was needed for the Central Coast, but that the Bulls Hill site was totally unsuitable.

Residents were concerned about the high volume of heavy traffic that would be using Woy Woy Rd to bring in materials for the plant.

It was claimed that 154.000 tonnes of material a year would be coming onto the site.

Concerns were raised that demolition waste recycling would be noisy, dusty and would have overflow into landfills.

It was claimed that such processes should be carried out in an industrial area.

Also, it was said that the waterways below the site were sensitive and already had a problem with siltation.

Speaking to the meeting, the applicant Mr Max Rutter of Camden Soils said that Bulls Hill was the only site in the area suitable to be developed as a recycling plant.

He said the site had some problems associated with it, but far fewer problems than any other site which could be used for such a facility.

Cr Lynne Bockholt said: "The siltation going into the creek is continuing.

"Pollution in Correa Bay is being addressed by council and the main polluter is the quarry."

She said the Department of Land and Water Conservation (DLWC) was "trying to get out of having to rehabilitate the site".

"What is proposed is an industrial usage in the middle of a National Park and should not be allowed," Cr Bockholt said.

Cr Chris Holstein said: "Green waste needs to be managed.

"It can't just go into landfills.

"We have to find a place to put green waste.

"We have to sit down, look at the problem and carefully consider our options.

"We can't ignore this problem, it is a matter of urgency," Cr Holstein said.

Cr Craig Doyle added that the existing site urgently needed to be rehabilitated to stop the current siltation problem.

The Council resolved to ask DLWC to restore the site and to convene a meeting of relevant government bodies to address the recycling needs of the municipality.

Jonathan Reichard, March 6