'Sad, costly' day as quarry boss laments refusal

Barro Group Queensland general manager Ian Riddout says the refusal of his company's quarry application marks a sad and very costly day for the Sunshine Coast.

Barro Group's application to build a quarry west of Beerburrum has been refused by Sunshine Coast Council. Picture: Stuart Cumming

BARRO Group Queensland general manager Ian Riddout says the refusal of his company's quarry application marks a sad and very costly day for Sunshine Coast ratepayers and residents.

"It's a decision that comes in defiance of the 28 months work done by the Sunshine Coast Council officers to undertake a technical review of the Burrum Quarry project,” Mr Riddout said after Thursday's decision.

"The councillors have today overridden their own officers' recommendation of approval and those approvals and conditions already granted by the state departments.”

He said the Beerburrum project was about supplying the essential base to the Coast's infrastructure needs.

"In the next 12 years the population in the southeast corner of the Sunshine Coast will grow by a massive 60 per cent and there is already a critical shortage of quarry materials available to build these important community assets,” he said.

"Major projects such as the Beerburrum to Nambour rail project, the six-lane reconstruction of the Bruce Highway from Caboolture to Caloundra interchange, the Sunshine Coast Airport, the 50,000 people Aura development with its 20 schools and education facilities and 200km of bikeways all need quarry materials, these are projects that benefit the Sunshine Coast community and economy.”

He noted the site had been reserved for quarry purposes.

"There is no better location for this quarry, it is located remotely in the middle of the Beerburrum pine plantation yet has ready access to major B-double rated road networks.

"The site is designated as reserved land under the Forestry Act 1959 for uses including quarrying, has been classified as having state significance and nominated as key resource area by the State Government.”

He said quarry activities had been conducted on the site since the early 1970s.

"There can be no higher or more definite legislation, planning instrument or precedent that the use of this site has been reserved for quarrying purposes and this supports the officers' recommendation for approval and questions the councillors' decision.