According to the Bayside Bulletin Newspaper (see below), the vote of two councillors who had formerly favoured approving the expansion of the existing Mount Cotton Quarry into a rainforest-destroying superquarry, may change in response to concerted community oppostion. Nevertheless it is still important that the pressure be maintained.
Protest outside Redland Shire Council chambers against plans to destroy Rainforest and Mount Cotton community with a giant quarry.
Where: Redland Shire Council Chambers, Bloomfield St., Cleveland
When: 9.00AM Wed 8 Aug 2007
Also please attend the protest on Sunday 12 August.
For further information see candobetter.org/SaveMountCotton or visit www.superquarry.com.au
Daniel Hurst
from the Bayside Bulletin of 16 July 2007
A QUARRY company has suffered a setback over its controversial expansion plans at Mount Cotton, with most Redland councillors looking likely to vote against the proposal.
Redland Shire Council appears set to block the so-called "super quarry" project, with seven out of 11 councillors saying they either oppose the development or are inclined to vote against it.
The news comes after nearly 1000 people sent submissions to the council last month and follows vocal objections from a protest group.
But the Barro Group, which wants to quarry hard rock from a new part of its Mount Cotton property, has urged councillors to consider the application on its merits.
The company has already mined about 18 hectares of its 241ha site and wants to quarry another 47ha over the next 60 years in a key koala area.
While critics have raised environmental, health and traffic concerns over the proposal, the quarry operator has argued that hard rock is needed for local construction work and 72 per cent of the site will be
conserved.
Councillors Toni Bowler, Craig Ogilvie, Debra Henry, Karen Williams and Helen Murray have told the Bayside Bulletin they oppose the quarry, while Cr Alan Beard and Deputy Mayor Peter Dowling said they were
leaning towards voting against it.
"I don't believe I can support it," Cr Dowling said, citing residents' concerns.
Mayor Don Seccombe and Crs Alan Barker, John Burns and Murray Elliott said they would wait for council officers to prepare their assessment report before committing to a position.
It may be months before the council votes on the proposal and council officers have not yet made a recommendation but the Barro Group could launch legal action if its application is rejected.
Meanwhile the State Government, which listed the site as a keyresource area in its planning policy on quarries, has the power to override council decisions.
"Despite the fact that the council may not have legal grounds to reject this application, I feel the only right course of action is to represent my constituents and for me to vote 'no' to the super quarry," Cr Williams said.
Cr Bowler, who has been campaigning against the proposal for years, cautiously welcomed the councillors' comments but said the community should remain vigilant as it was the vote on the day that counted.
Barro Group Queensland general manager Ian Ridoutt said he was confident the council would "carefully consider the officers' report when it becomes available to weigh the merits of our proposal".
Where do they sit?
THE Bayside Bulletin asked each councillor for their position on the Barro Group's quarry application at Mount Cotton:
OPPOSED: Toni Bowler (Div. 6), Craig Ogilvie (Div. 2), Debra Henry (Div. 3), Karen Williams (Div. 9) and Helen Murray (Div. 10).
LEANING TOWARDS OPPOSED: Deputy Mayor Peter Dowling and Alan Beard (Div. 8).
UNDECIDED: Mayor Don Seccombe, Crs Alan Barker (Div. 1), John Burns (Div. 5) and Murray Elliott (Div. 7).
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