As a courtesy to keep the local community aware of proceedings, Hanson Australia has applied to construct further earthen amenity barriers at its Bass Point Quarry in New South Wales.
The quarry has seen hundreds of thousands of tonnes of earth placed along its borders since 1994, many of which have come from nearby excavation of the Shell Cove Marina.
The mounds were originally approved as they suited the natural landscape of Bass Point and provided makeshift sound barriers for quarry operations.
Now, however, Hanson has reached a point where further mounds would fall outside the approved conditions from the original environmental assessment and has sought to clarify the continuation of the initiative.
“To avoid any doubt concerning the locations of amenity barriers and importation and use of VENM/ENM (virgin excavated natural material/excavated natural material), it is proposed that the modification application clarify these processes and locations for the benefit of the local community and so that acceptable protocols may be established,” the modification report stated.
The report was compiled by RW Corkery & Co on behalf of Hanson Construction Materials.
This would be the third modification to the project approval, the prior two relating to minor location changes and despatch traffic respectively.
The major reason for a third modification is its effect on the views of the quarry from several nearby vantage points.
Hanson Australia is confident the modification will be approved as it improves the view of Bass Point.
“The amenity barriers that are the subject of the proposed modification are not required to mitigate unacceptable views of the operation, however, would have the benefit of obscuring operations in some locations and allow for the creation of a landform that is largely consistent with the nearby Bass Point Reserve,” the modification report stated.
The report will be exhibited publicly on the NSW Major Projects website until 19 January.
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