By Eleanor Wilson
Residents impacted by the Hallam Road Landfill in Hampton Park have voiced their concerns over future plans for the site at a public meeting on Tuesday 9 August.
There were 120 attendees, including local residents – State Liberal MPs and candidates and representatives from Casey Council – to discuss the council and State Government supported plans to build a permanent waste transfer station at the site of the landfill, after it reaches capacity in coming years.
The future of the landfill has been at the centre of community outrage in recent weeks, after a petition objecting to the establishment of the transfer station garnered 780 signatures from residents from Hampton Park, Narre Warren South, Lynbrook and Cranbourne North.
Residents have claimed the existing tip has “affected the area enough” and the waste transfer station is not suitable for a residential area.
In response to the petition, Casey Council announced it would extend the time period for public submissions to the plan for an additional two weeks, to 6pm Sunday 14 August.
Released last month, The Hampton Park Hill Draft Development Plan outlines the future of the site of the landfill, which is regarded as one of the state’s largest and “smelliest tips” due to the strong sewage-like odour permeating from the site.
The landfill is expected to reach capacity in the next 10 years, after which council seeks to transform the site into 85 hectares of public open space reserves.
But additional plans for a waste transfer station, which would hold 550,000 tonnes of waste per year from across the municipality before being processed off site, has frustrated many residents.
“For many years Casey Council has reassured residents that after the tip is filled and capped, the land on which it sits will be repatriated to open parkland,” said Lynbrook Residents Association spokesperson Viv Paine.
“Apart from the relief from bad odours, gone would be hundreds of garbage trucks using local roads with their attendant noise and exhaust pollution.
“Lynbrook Residents Association is extremely disappointed that Casey Council is reneging on a long held and oft repeated promise the tip would revert to public open space once filled and capped.“
In the draft plan, Casey Council claims the proposed waste transfer station would be located in an enclosed building, thus producing less odour, dust and noise compared to a traditional landfill.
But of additional concern to residents are plans for extensive operating hours at the waste transfer station site and the implementation of a 500-metre buffer zone.
Under the draft development plan, the waste transfer station would operate between 12am and 6pm on weekdays and between 12am and 4pm on Saturdays.
“The extended hours are a large concern. We don’t want trucks driving past our houses at 1am,” Hampton Park resident Nicole Miles said.
Mr Paine said the local community had been rocked by the development plan, which also plans to impose a 500-metre buffer zone on properties surrounding the tip, requiring them to list it on their Section 32 vendor statement as a possible impact on the sale price.
He also criticised council’s decision to allow residences to be built up to the tip’s boundaries before the buffer zone was announced, calling it “clearly discriminatory”.
“Such a proposal, which must be included by sellers on their Vendor’s Statement, is clearly discriminatory in that it create haves and have nots,” he said.
“For instance, those just inside the buffer zone find their property devalued by the Overlay, yet those outside the buffer zone escape any imposition.
“Those inside the buffer zone wishing to renovate or extend would face costly special building works to meet conditions in the overlay. Those just outside the buffer zone escape any such obligation, therefore enjoying lower building costs.”
In a statement, a spokesperson from the Department of Environment Land Water and Planning (DELWP) said the Victorian Government’s state-wide focus is a transition toward waste transfer, resource recovery and recycling in line with circular economy goals.
“The Victorian Government has set a target to divert 72 per cent of waste from landfill by 2025 and 80 per cent by 2030. To achieve this we will need to have the right infrastructure in place,” the spokesperson said.
“Casey City Council will lead a public consultation process in relation to the Hampton Park Landfill development plan.”
City of Casey manager of planning and building Duncan Turner said the council has received 300 submissions regarding the draft plan so far.
“Council Officers will review all submissions received during the consultation period and may recommend changes to the draft Development Plan in response to submissions,” he said.
“Officers will take a report to Council to consider the submissions and adoption of the draft Development Plan.”
Mr Turner stressed that the draft development plan is not a proposal to extend the life of the landfill at the site, which has a permit to operate until 2040.
“The landfill is currently filling its final cells and rehabilitation work at this site is expected to start within the next 10 years,” he said.
“The site has been identified by the Victorian State Government, through the State-wide Waste and Resource Recovery Implementation Plan (Sustainability Victoria, 2018), as a significant site for waste and resource recovery.”
To find out more about the Hampton Park Hill Draft Development Plan, head to conversations.casey.vic.gov.au/hampton-park-hill-initial-public-consultation
