Shire of Dardanup split on approval of new sand mine next to Banksia Road waste facility in Crooked Brook

Concerns over noise, dust and potential groundwater contamination have been dismissed by the Dardanup Shire Council in approving a new sand mine opposite the Banksia Road tip.

J&P Group was given the green light to build an operation in Crooked Brook at last week’s council meeting, which will allow it to mine 372,000 cubic metres of sand and gravel from the site.

The mining is proposed to take place over a 10-year period, with digging not to exceed 4m below ground level and the site to be returned to pasture once operations have been completed.

But there was concern among some councillors about the development, which will neighbour Cleanaway’s Banksia Road waste management facility.

Cr Ellen Lilly said while there had been an improvement in the approval conditions, she believed there were still a number of issues with the development.

She claimed council documents had under-counted the anticipated 34 vehicle movements a day from the site, and noted Department of Water and Environmental Regulation concerns the mine could exacerbate potential groundwater contamination from a previous landfill.

Cr Lilly raised further concerns about the potential excessive dust and noise which could be produced.

“Our residents are already impacted by the current activity that’s on (the tip site) and whilst that’s not this (sand mine), this is sitting right next to it and it is going to have extensive impacts on local residents,” she said.

Cr Tyrrell Gardiner argued “a lot of conditions” had been placed on the sand mine’s approval.

“It is actually previously a site the Shire owned and sold a few years ago,” he said.

“These people bought it in good faith that they would be able to operate the industry that’s been proposed here.”

The vote was carried 5-3, with Cr Lilly, Cr Mark Hutchinson and Cr Stacey Gillespie against.

Speaking after the meeting, former shire president Mick Bennett said any noise issues nearby residents had would be dealt with by State Government agencies.

“Most of these things are handled by the EPA in terms of noise levels and that’s pretty common for a mine site, which is what it virtually is,” he said.

J&P Group will be required to fund the upgrade of the Banksia Road and Marginata Close intersection as part of the approval.

The project will not impact the Shire of Dardanup’s waste transfer station and the Bunbury Harvey Regional Council’s green waste facility, which are both located on the site.