THE proponents of Eden Project Anglesea say planning decisions about the mine site\u2019s future need to be locked down as quickly as possible, or the multimillion-dollar ecotourism proposal will lose momentum and could be at risk of failure.<\/p>\n
Those planning decisions will not be made for at least several months, as it is not clear whether the Surf Coast Shire or the state government is in charge.<\/p>\n
Eden Project International chief executive officer David Harland teleconferenced from Scotland into Alcoa\u2019s regular Community Conversations Network meeting, held at the Anglesea Senior Citizens Centre on Monday night.<\/p>\n
Mr Harland took several questions from the audience.<\/p>\n
He said Eden would work within the existing planning framework and he was \u201ctechnically\u201d prepared to wait but he \u201cwanted to go as quickly as possible\u201d.<\/p>\n
\u201cThose of you that heard a bit of banter between (Sir) Tim (Smit) and me on stage is that neither of us are getting any younger. In fact, I\u2019m spending my birthday with you right now; I\u2019m 43 today.\u201d<\/p>\n
Mr Harland said projects such as Eden\u2019s proposal required momentum.<\/p>\n
\u201cThese are big, complex projects that require really detailed levels of certainty and planning and getting the regulations right, and there are a couple of conditions at the moment that are outstanding in order for us to move forward \u2013 some of those relate to planning.<\/p>\n
\u201cI think having been out there and talked to various people, I think those things can be dealt with, but they require a will and a desire from a number of different people in order to make that happen.<\/p>\n
\u201cFrankly, if we\u2019re still talking like this as if it\u2019s a bit of a concept in six months or 12 months\u2019 time, then we will have failed.<\/p>\n
\u201cWe actually have to start demonstrating to you that this is going to happen, and to ourselves.\u201d<\/p>\n
The meeting discussed the draft Anglesea Futures Land Use Plan, which lays out the overall zoning and uses of the mine and surrounding area, but the final version is not expected to be complete for between 12 to 24 months.<\/p>\n
Surf Coast Shire chief executive officer Keith Baillie said the Land Use Plan was \u201cdeliberately vague\u201d on planning authority.<\/p>\n
He said he planned to bring a report to councillors within the next two to three months to get the council\u2019s position on whether it wanted to be the planning authority.<\/p>\n
Alcoa\u2019s plan to return Salt Creek to its original course, which will accelerate the mine being filled with water from 50 years to as soon as five years, was also discussed.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"
THE proponents of Eden Project Anglesea say planning decisions about the mine site\u2019s future need to be locked down as quickly as possible, or the multimillion-dollar ecotourism proposal will lose momentum and could be at risk of failure. Those planning decisions will not be made for at least several months, as it is not clear […]<\/p>\n