Thursday, 9 June 2022

Petitions

Following petition presented to house:

Wallan quarry

The Petition of certain citizens of the State of Victoria draws to the attention of the Legislative Council the proposed quarry in Beveridge North West Precinct Structure Plan (PSP). The proposed quarry will bring noise, dust, congestion, and vibrations to one of Melbourne’s fastest growing communities.

The local Beveridge and Wallan communities are strongly opposed to the inclusion of the quarry in the Beveridge North West PSP. The community foresees the generational social, economic, and environmental impact that the proposed quarry will have.

The initial consultation on Beveridge North West PSP failed to include the proposed quarry within the future urban structure. The planning panel report from 2020 noted that whilst ‘some submitters argued that planning policy suggests the PSP should provide for extraction of the stone resource prior to urban development’ that this view was ‘strongly resisted by the VPA, Council and most landholders in the PSP area’. Despite this strong opposition the panel’s recommendation to include the quarry in the PSP has since been accepted without question, or without further consultation.

The Petitioners therefore request that the Legislative Council calls on the Victorian Government to reject the permit for the proposed quarry and, failing preventative action from the Government, acts to introduce legislation to prevent the development of quarries within the Urban Growth Boundary in Mitchell Shire.

By Ms PATTEN (Northern Metropolitan) (1320 signatures).

Laid on table.