RESIDENTS of the Adams Estate along Stanley Road and McGrady Road, Grantville, and Glen Forbes have followed up their 58 objections to the removal of vegetation on their roads by filling the public gallery at today’s Bass Coast Shire Council meeting.
With supporters from the Western Port Woodlands group, the objectors have succeeded in getting the council to overturn a recommendation that they agree to the application and issue a Notice of Decision to Grant a Permit for the vegetation to be removed.
They turned up in strong numbers to hear council’s decision on an application from the sand mining company Hanson Australia Pty Ltd to widen the roads, including the removal of upwards of 36 mature trees, and hundreds of roadside bushes to facilitate the movement of sand trucks, up and down the roads to their sand mine.
The application proposes to remove native vegetation in association with the construction of road widening and associated improvements to between the Bass Highway and McGrady Road (Hanson Quarry Entrance), to comply with conditions in Planning Permit 96/116 held by Hanson Construction Materials, in accordance with the decision plans and reports which are provided as Attachment one of the council agenda.
Objections raised by local residents and Western Port Woodlands supporters include:
- Loss of native vegetation and woodlands
- Impact on fauna
- Air, noise, and light pollution
- Traffic and safety impacts
- Unsatisfied with third party offsets
- Inadequate environmental assessments
- Insufficient consultation with Indigenous people and local arborists
- Insufficient time to respond to public notice
According to the report to council:
“The application has been assessed against the Bass Coast Planning Scheme and is considered to be an acceptable and orderly planning outcome as it avoids, minimises, and offsets native vegetation removal and enables the provision of infrastructure upgrades to Stanley Road which will benefit safe and efficient access along this stretch of Road.”
Unless there is an alternative motion raised from the floor of the council, the shire is recommending that Hanson Australia be allowed to go ahead and remove the vegetation and widen the road.
The application is now likely to go through to VCAT for the ultimate outcome.
