Road saga unsealed

CAMPBELL'S timber mill owner Graham Campbell is frustrated the Clarence Valley Council has rejected his offer to seal a dirt road to his Levenstrath business.

CAMPBELL'S timber mill owner Graham Campbell is frustrated the Clarence Valley Council has rejected his offer to seal a dirt road to his Levenstrath business.

Mr Campbell wanted to seal the road to minimise dust caused by trucks accessing his business. He received two quotes, employed a contractor to seal the road in front of residences at a cost of $48,000, but when the contractor approached the council he was stonewalled.

“He went in to the council and said he wanted to start sealing the road and they said no, you can't do it,” Mr Campbell said.

He denied claims his mill was exceeding a 2500 cubic metre production limit that would require him to seal the road.

“When I found out I could not exceed 2500 cubic metres I went out and bought another sawmill.

“I used the money I would have used to seal the road.”

He sent several letters about sealing the road to the council in the past year but had no replies.

Clarence Valley Council deputy general manager Des Schroder said Mr Campbell's offer to seal the road was rejected by the council because the undertaking did not comply with required engineering standards.

“If our engineers approve a road that is not to a certain standard, not only is the council responsible but they are personally responsible,” he said.

Mr Schroder denied Mr Campbell's claims that the council had ignored letters sent to them about the issue.

He said the council had been corresponding with Mr Campbell's company constantly about sealing the road since he bought the mill last year.

“The council wants to resolve this issue soon in a way that is mutually beneficial to all parties involved,” Mr Schroder said.

Originally published as Road saga unsealed