By Corey Everitt
Lang Lang is on track to be one of Melbourne’s crucial resources with the State Government releasing its draft planning proposal to secure extensive quarrying in the quiet coastal town.
On Wednesday 2 October, the Department of Planning put its proposal for ‘Strategic Extractive Resource Areas’ (SERA) to public exhibition.
Many Lang Lang locals have awaited their say as the expansion of quarries not only presents a significant economic contribution, but varying trepidations around potential impacts on the local environment and traffic.
Bass MP Jordan Crugnale said discussion with many local groups, in particular Save Westernport Woodlands Group (SWWG) and Lang Lang District Business & Community Group, have informed this draft plan.
“I know our local community cares deeply about and values biodiversity and I’m pleased that this draft SERA does not include areas of environmental significance” she said.
“Lang Lang is growing and we want to ensure local priority infrastructure needs are considered that will benefit residents today and into the future.
“That includes for example the need for a bypass to get the trucks out of the main street, pedestrian crossings providing safe access to and linking estates on either side of McDonalds Track, consideration of truck movement times which currently run all day, every day and through the night.”
The proposal seeks to overhaul planning parameters to secure the extraction of essential quarry resources in three areas – Lang Lang in Cardinia Shire, Oaklands Junction in the City of Hume and Trafalgar in Baw Baw Shire.
Lang Lang would become a central location for securing the millions of tons of rock, sand, and gravel needed to build the housing and infrastructure to accommodate the expected 10 million people that will call Melbourne home by 2050.
The draft proposes a State-mandated overlay of ‘Strategic Extractive Resource Area’ Schedule 1 (SRO1) over three areas within Lang Lang that dictate a strict use of resource extraction.
The largest of this overlay rests south of Westernport Road with two smaller areas east of Bass Highway and north of South Gippsland Highway.
None of these areas include sites of environmental significance, most importantly it does not stretch to Bass Coast Shire where SWWG has campaigned to protect the many reserves that border with Cardinia.
However, SWWG member and Bass Coast Shire candidate Tim O’Brien said ‘while heartening’, it is a ‘partial victory’.
“Sand mines currently operating in the Woodlands will continue. We would like to see them closed and out of there,” he said.
“This rare coastal forest which is essential habitat for a number of identified vulnerable species, like the Southern Brown Bandicoot, Strzelecki Koala, Swift Parrot and a host of rare orchids, is no place for dirty great sand mines ripping out forest for sand for Melbourne.
“On the upside, under the new draft SERA, it will be more difficult for companies operating in this recognised area of significant biodiversity, the Western Port Woodlands, to get planning permits for new mines or extensions of existing permits.”
Furthermore, Crugnale’s acknowledgment that the plan includes the ‘need for a bypass’ and additional measures for ‘safe access’ across McDonalds Track would be welcomed by many locals who have been concerned about the level of truck movements through the centre of town.
The draft also proposes to rezone land now occupied by permitted work authorities, from Green Wedge or Rural Conservation to Special Use Zone for ‘Extractive Industry’.
To further secure any interface with quarries, the overlay ‘Protecting Extractive Industry’ Schedule 3 is added to restrict conflicting lands use within 250 metres of an operating or permitted quarry in the SERA.
If the overlays are instituted, many future quarry proposals and extensions may be fast-tracked, unburdened from the public.
“For new or extended quarries under the SRO1, if they are over 250 metres from sensitive land uses and have access to a road in the Transport Zone 2, they are exempt from notice, review, and appeal rights,” the draft overview states.
O’Brien said Lang Lang was the ‘loser here’ as much of the town’s rural land would be lost, and flagged their potential lack to object.
“It may come as a surprise to many in the Lang Lang community that this proposal removes right of appeal against new or extended quarries for residents, farmers, and others under the State Resource Overlay, SRO1,” Mr O’Brien said.
You can see and contribute to the consultation at engage.vic.gov.au/sera-langlang-oaklandsjunction-trafalgar
There will be a public information session for Lang Lang residents on Tuesday 22 October, 4pm to 7pm at Lang Lang Memorial Hall.
