Waste firm caught up in land use crackdown

A waste disposal company is fighting action taken by Sunshine Coast Council to crack down on rural-zoned land being used for high-impact industry.

Chilli Bins owner Neal Heinrich.

A COAST waste disposal company is fighting action taken by Sunshine Coast Council which says rural-zoned land is being used for high-impact industry.

Chilli Bins, which operates out of a Pignata Rd depot near the Bruce Highway at Palmview, was issued an enforcement notice by the council on February 17.

Documents lodged in the Planning and Environment Court stated a council officer had visited the site about a month earlier to investigate a complaint about unapproved land use.

The officer noted there were "several" uncovered bins filled with what appeared to be commercial refuse and there were multiple light trucks and skips bearing Chilli Bins branding.

The council asked Chilli Bins to show cause for the breach and Chilli Bins responded through its town planner.

But in the council's view, there was no evidence to support Chilli Bins' explanation for the breach.

The enforcement notice was issued, which prompted Chilli Bins to lodge a court appeal on March 16.

Chilli Bins argued it was not using the rural-zoned land for high-impact industry, with reasons including the use did not have potential for significant impacts on sensitive land uses due to off-site emissions.

Alternatively, Chilli Bins asked for more time to comply with details of the enforcement notice if its reasons were not accepted.

Chilli Bins owner Neal Heinrich declined to comment.

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