City backs incinerator opponents

THE City of Greater Geelong has maintained its opposition to the waste-to-energy facility proposed for Lara, writing to Victoria’s Planning Minister about the community’s concerns for the second time.

Mayor Trent Sullivan confirmed the letter, reiterating “the messages of opposition the council continues to receive from the community,” was sent to planning minister Sonya Kilkenny, with whom final approval for the project rests, on April 26.

While the council’s role in the formal approval process is limited to providing advice and feedback regarding the project’s consistency to the planning scheme, it has previously committed to pass community concerns directly onto the minister.

“Community members and groups, including the Geelong Sustainability Group, Committee for Geelong and the Say NO to Lara Big Incinerator group have all voiced strong concerns about the proposal,” Cr Sullivan said.

“These concerns are largely around the health and environmental impacts, particularly in relation to the homes, schools and pre-schools located nearby.

“On behalf of the community, the letter asks the planning minister to consider their concerns and determine what action could be taken by the Victorian government to address these – including the rejection and cancellation of both the planning permit and development licence.”

The letter follows comments made by Cr Sullivan in December confirming the council was “not pursuing waste incineration methods”.

“It is not in our longer-term plans, and it is not something we support,” he said.

A development licence was granted to Prospect Hill International by the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) in December for the facility, which aims to incinerate up to 400,000 tonnes of waste diverted from landfill annually, producing enough energy to power up to 50,000 homes.

Say No to Lara Big Incinerator’s Charles Street said it remained “very important” for the group’s campaign to have the support of the city.

“My understanding is that if, for example, the planning minister were to actually grant a planning permit for this project, pretty much the only people who would be able to object to the planning permit is the council.

“So, having the council declare their position explicitly, that is quite helpful to our cause, and we are most grateful to the council for that.”

At the moment, the waste-to-energy facility is on hold while the Victorian Civil Administration Tribunal (VCAT) reviews the development licence granted by the EPA.

Preliminary hearings, which the Say No to Lara Big Incinerator group participated in, were held yesterday (Thursday, May 9), and will continue today (Friday, May 10).

Earlier this week, Mr Street said it was the group’s intention at the hearings to put forward its case that the incinerator is “inappropriate” for the area and prove that the granting of the licence by the EPA was unlawful.