By Ewen McRae
Melton council has not appealed the Victorian Civil and Administrative Tribunal (VCAT) decision to allow a large expansion of the Melbourne Regional Landfill at Ravenhall.
Last month, VCAT approved an additional seven cells at the landfill, which will allow the site to operate until about 2036.
The decision drew the ire of both the Melton and Brimbank councils as well as community groups.
Both councils have been fighting against the expansion for more than two years, but a brief statement last week from Melton council legal and governance manager Christine Denyer put an end to the fight.
“Council has not appealed VCAT’s recent decision to grant a works approval to expand the Melbourne Regional Landfill in Ravenhall,” Ms Denyer said.
Brimbank council also announced they would not appeal the decision, with Brimbank mayor Lucinda Congreve recognising the disappointment in the community.
“As a council we share the extreme disappointment of our community with the decision by VCAT to grant approval for the expansion,” she said.
“We share this disappointment, however after considering all options council could not justify the legal costs involved, for a case we are unlikely to win.”
