Campaign to stop quarry fails as works start at Barro’s Mt Cotton site

A controversial quarry on Brisbane’s south side will start expansion work this week, despite a 15-year campaign against the move by neighbouring residents, the local council and a state MP.

The Barro Group’s Mt Cotton quarry will expand with a second Mt Cotton site sparking residents’ concerns.

A controversial southside quarry will start work to expand its Mt Cotton base this week, despite a 15-year campaign by neighbouring residents against the move.

Barro Group sent letters this week to residents of West Mt Cotton Rd and nearby Mt Cotton Rd, telling them construction of the new quarry site at Mt Cotton would start on Friday.

The letter, signed by Barro’s Rohan Cox, said construction of the greywacke quarry would be between 7am and 6pm Monday to Friday and, if needed, on Saturday mornings.

QUARRY EXTENSION

BARRO WINS APPEAL

An extract from a letter to residents from Barro Group announcing it will start works this week to build its new quarry site at Mt Cotton.

Barro said the works were necessary to supply the state’s building and construction industry over the next 50 years up to 350 million tonnes of greywacke, a material used in concrete.

News of the works followed a June court ruling which set aside Redland City Council’s refusal of the new quarry site.

Part of the existing Barro quarry at Mt Cotton

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Under Department of Environment regulations and a set of guidelines from Redland City Council, Barro must monitor air, water, noise and dust and if government-approved levels are exceeded, the state will take action and the site could be closed.

The site cannot be within a 1km radius of neighbouring residential properties.

Redland councillor for the area Julie Talty said she did not believe monitoring devices were in place.

“Conditions apply as soon as the site is being used for a mine,” Cr Talty said.

“But as far as I am aware there are no monitors for air, noise and pollution in place yet.

“The quarry has said that was because only preparatory works are occurring but by their own definition, this quarry is an extension of existing works — so it is technically already part of the mine.”

Building Minister Mick de Brenni, who will meet with residents this week, said he was also opposed to the expansion of the quarry from the outset.

“We’re at where we are now because the courts have allowed the expansion to proceed, as a result of a deal between the quarry and Redlands City Council,” he said.

“So it’s now all our responsibility to uphold our community’s environmental standards and ensure the impact of the quarry on our local community is minimised.”

Mt Cotton resident Anthony Moloney, whose property is less than 200m from the new quarry site, said he was gutted and believed state regulations were not tough enough.

Anthony and Kerstin Moloney in their front yard, which is less than 200m from the new quarry site.

“The quarry is allowed to make noise up to three times the levels of background noise,” Mr Moloney said.

“We have estimated there will be 75,000 trucks a year on already badly congested commuter roads and toxic silica dust up to 10 times current background levels and koalas will have to be relocated.

“Despite 12,000 community objections and strong opposition from Redland council, the state government has trashed environmental overlays, ignored their own guidelines on safe separation distances from homes and bullied the quarry through.

“This is so close to my back door and I am concerned for my family and my business which all depend on clean air.” he said.

The Barro Group is based out of Victoria.

Redland City mayor Karen Williams has said council shared the community’s concerns.

“This has included our refusal of the original application in 2013, which was overturned by the state government of the day,” Cr Williams said.

“We also refused the application to extend the state’s approval to allow Barro longer to build the quarry after the state’s 2013 approval expired.

“We also recently supported the community in calling for the Planning Minister to join the court appeal against the project, but unfortunately the Minister elected not to do so.”

Residents will meet with Mr de Brenni and representatives from the departments of transport, environment and energy tomorrow.

Barro was contacted on Wednesday for comment.