Quarry developer digs in to fight council refusal

Quarry developer Barro Group has stepped up its fight to build a large pit on the Sunshine Coast after its initial application was refused.

Construction company Barro Group has lodged a court appeal against a refusal of its proposal to build a quarry west of Beerburrum. Picture: Stuart Cumming

QUARRY developer Barro Group has stepped up its fight to build a large pit on the Sunshine Coast after its initial application was refused.

It has lodged a Planning and Environment Court appeal against Sunshine Coast Council's decision last month not to allow its proposal within state forestry west of Beerburrum.

The application process had taken more than two years to that point.

Council planning staff had recommended councillors approve the development with conditions but Cr Rick Baberowski moved an alternate motion for refusal.

He was backed by all present councillors except Cr Steve Robinson.

Mayor Mark Jamieson missed the discussion and vote because he was at an opening celebration for a new section of Sunshine Plaza and Cr Tim Dwyer was not at the meeting because he was in the US on a council trip.

Cr Christian Dickson excused himself from debate and vote after declaring a conflict of interest because he had family members who lived in the area near the development.

Cr Baberowksi's reasoning against a new quarry included information that existing Coast quarries were licensed to extract 6.65 million tonnes of product a year.

He said between two million and three million tonnes was actually being extracted a year.

"I'm really pleased with the outcome not only for the environment but also for the region,” Cr Baberowski said last month.

"I think we do not need another quarry to add to the 10 (hard rock quarries) that we already have.”

Beerburrum Action Group spokeswoman Heather Cardaci, who rallied against the quarry, said she had expected an appeal would be lodged.

"We have confidence in the council's reasoning for refusing the application,” Mrs Cardaci said.

She said the main issues were the number of trucks, up to 150 a day, the town was expected to tolerate and the lack of notice given to residents that the site had been declared a key resource area by the State Government in 2013.

Barro Group's notice of appeal sought the development application be approved.

It addressed the council's grounds for refusal which included impacts on native vegetation and the amenity and character of the Beerburrum community.

The council's grounds for refusal based on traffic impacts associated with the haulage route were also addressed.

Barro's appeal also noted the site was within a key resource area.