Benjamin Millar
Maddingley Brown Coal has been given the green light to open its front gate for trucks at 5am despite almost 50 objections to the plan.
The landfill operator applied to Moorabool Council for permission to open its external gates for queuing trucks an hour earlier than the currently permitted 6am opening time, arguing the changes would help avoid traffic congestion and vehicle queuing overflows onto the main road.
But the request to open the external site gates at 5am attracted 46 objections, citing concerns about vehicle queuing and uncovered trucks.
A report by the council’s senior statutory planner Jyoti Makan recommended the council provide permission for the 5am opening from Monday to Saturday so trucks currently parking along Tilleys Road and Geelong Bacchus Marsh Road could wait inside the property.
“Trucks queuing internally would increase the buffer distances to the relevant sensitive receptors,” the report stated.
“The application is made to allow for truck queueing only and will not amend the provision for dumping of soil, waste or other materials.”
The request was approved at the recent ordinary council meeting, with the proviso that an additional gate at the weighbridge inside the site will not be opened until 6am.
Additional signage will also be required informing drivers that their lights and engines are to be turned off while they wait for the second gate to open.
The site is currently used for landfill, materials recycling and production of soil and soil products.
The operators have received approval from the planning minister and the EPA to receive contaminated spoil from the troubled Westgate Tunnel Project, but the proponents of the tunnel recently selected a Sunbury site as the preferred location for the soil to be dumped.
Objectors raised concerns that the opening time changes could have impacts on the surrounding area and pave the way for more intensive use of the site, but the council report indicated the intent is to reduce the trucks queuing outside and does not include any other additional activities.
“Therefore, it is not expected to increase the impact to the local farms or flora and fauna.”
