• Home
  • News
  • Sport
  • Entertainment
  • Local History
  • Contact Us
  • Advertise With Us
  • About Us
  • Subscribe
  • Read Our Newspapers Online
    • Read the Latest Western Port News
    • Read the Latest Mornington News
    • Read the Latest Southern Peninsula News
    • Read the Latest Frankston Times
    • Read the Latest Chelsea Mordialloc Mentone News
  • Competition
Facebook Twitter Instagram
Trending
  • Resident road rage over reduced speed limit
  • Steele retires, ‘Stirts’ to Seagulls
  • Pythons and Tigers all square, oh my!
  • Frankston Football Club hold a successful fair
  • Home services crisis after switch to private providers
  • Call for help after donation drop
  • True passion the source of author inspiration
  • OAM for ‘Coodabeens’ Bill Baxter
Facebook Twitter
MPNEWSMPNEWS
  • Home
  • News
  • Sport
  • Entertainment
  • Local History
  • Contact Us
  • Advertise With Us
  • About Us
  • Subscribe
  • Competition
MPNEWSMPNEWS
Home»Latest News»Quarry effects to be assessed
Latest News

Quarry effects to be assessed

By Keith PlattJune 25, 2018No Comments3 Mins Read
TWISTED steel gates seal off the Boundary Road, Dromana entrance to the former Pioneer quarry that Hillview Quarries is seeking to reactivate. Picture: Yanni
Share
Facebook Twitter LinkedIn Pinterest Email
THE entrance to the old Pioneer quarry that Hillview Quarries wants to reopen in Boundary Road, Dromana. Picture: Yanni

STATE Planning Minister Richard Wynne has agreed to studies being undertaken into the environmental and social impacts likely to be caused by reopening the old Pioneer quarry in Boundary Road, Dromana.

Owner Hillview Quarries asked Mr Wynne for permission to undertake an environmental effects statement (EES) into its reopening proposal as well as “door-knocking” neighbouring property owners.

Mr Wynne is expected to soon release details of the draft scope, or extent, of the investigation required, known as “scoping requirements”.

In a letter to surrounding property owners Hillview CEO Paul Nitas said the minister’s decision meant his company would need to “conduct rigorous environmental investigations into potential impacts on flora and fauna, waterways, cultural heritage as well as social and economic impacts”.

Mr Nitas described an EES as “a thorough assessment of environmental effects designed to give government decision makers the information they need to decide whether a project with potential environmental effects should proceed”.

He said the minister’s “scoping requirements” would be released for public comment for at least 15 business days before the final scoping requirements are determined and published.

“Hillview will be required to carry out the investigations necessary to satisfy all of the scoping requirements,” Mr Nitas stated in his letter to property owners.

“Once the investigations are carried out, reports are prepared and the EES documentation is complete the documentation will be available for public review and a submission process, ultimately including a public hearing.”

Mr Nitas said Hillview was “very happy to answer any questions” and said information about the process was available on the government EES website (planning.vic.gov.au/environment-assessment/environment-assessment-home).

Mr Nitas last month said Hillview’s existing quarry, in Hillview Quarry Drive, was likely to run out of rock within seven or eight years with current annual extraction levels of 750,000 tonnes (“Moves to reopen quarry” The News 1/5/18).

He estimated the former Pioneer quarry, which Hillview wants to reopen, could supply one million tonnes of rock for 70 years.

Mornington Peninsula Shire is one of the company’s biggest customers.

Hillview Quarries is part of the RE Ross Trust which since 1970 has donated $110 million – including $10m on the Mornington Peninsula – to charities, education and environmental projects across Victoria, focusing on children at risk, education, arts and culture and nature.

The latest bid to reopen the former Pioneer quarry follows a determination by the Victorian Civil Administrative Tribunal (VCAT) in April 2017 that the quarry’s planning permit had expired (“VCAT ‘no’ to quarry permit” The News 9/5/17).

At that time community groups hailed the decision as a victory, although one leading campaigner cautioned, “we’ve won a battle, but not the war”.

“We’re over the moon and I’d love to think that was the end, but I think it will go on,” Dr Mark Fancett, of the Sheepwash Creek Catchment Landcare group said.

Five years ago the protesters successfully campaigned against the quarry being used as a rubbish tip.

First published in the Southern Peninsula News – 26 June 2018

Share. Facebook Twitter Pinterest LinkedIn Tumblr Email

Related Posts

Home services crisis after switch to private providers

July 4, 2022

Call for help after donation drop

July 4, 2022

Shire ‘no’ to Esso’s bid for power

June 27, 2022

Call for panel to consider future of green wedge

June 27, 2022
Add A Comment

Comments are closed.

Weather
Jul 7, 2022 - Thu
Mornington, Australia
8°C
broken clouds
broken clouds
1 m/s, WSW
76%
762.82 mmHg
thu07/07 fri07/08 sat07/09 sun07/10 mon07/11
light rain
12/11°C
light rain
11/10°C
light rain
12/9°C
sky is clear
11/9°C
overcast clouds
12/10°C
Peninsula Essence Magazine

Click here to read

June 27, 2022
Peninsula Kids Magazine

Click here to read

May 26, 2022
Council Watch

Keeping watch on councillor costs

June 27, 2022

Leadership lacking for ‘neutral’ policy

June 20, 2022
Interview

True passion the source of author inspiration

July 4, 2022
Property of the Week

278 Dundas Street, Rye

May 11, 2022
100 Years Ago This Week

Frankston Football Club hold a successful fair

July 5, 2022
Contact
Street: 63 Watt Road, Mornington, 3931
Mailing: PO Box 588, Hastings, 3915
Menu
  • Home
  • News
  • Sport
  • Entertainment
  • Local History
  • Contact Us
  • Advertise With Us
  • About Us
  • Subscribe
  • Competition
About

Established in 2006, Mornington Peninsula News Group (MPNG) is a locally owned and operated, independent media company.

MPNG publishes five weekly community newspapers: the Western Port News, Mornington News, Southern Peninsula News, Frankston Times and Chelsea Mordialloc Mentone News.

MPNG also publishes two glossy magazines: Peninsula Essence and Peninsula Kids.

Facebook Twitter
© 2022 Mornington Peninsula News Group.

Type above and press Enter to search. Press Esc to cancel.