Council united in its opposition to Lara incinerator

A motion reaffirming council’s opposition to an 80m high incinerator in the northern suburbs passed in consensus, but not without an amendment.

Charles Street has led community opposition to the proposed Lara incinerator. Picture: Alan Barber.

Geelong council have reaffirmed their position in opposition to the proposed Lara incinerator.

Councillor Chris Burson, whose You Yangs ward encompasses the McManus Rd site on which Prospect Hill International has been given the green light to build the incinerator, introduced the motion at Tuesday’s council meeting.

The basis for council’s opposition is due to concerns around potential odours, air pollution, and its proximity to residential areas.

A notice of motion introduced by Mr Burson was unanimously supported.

This included an amendment proposed by Anthony Aitken that requested chief executive Ali Wastie to prepare a strategic policy report in relation to waste-to-energy in Geelong.

The motion seeks to ensure council continues pressuring the state government to abandon the project.

Additionally, City Hall will write to Planning Minister Sonya Kilkenny to seek authority to make decisions around future waste-to-energy projects.

“I’ve got a lot of people who are speaking to me and asking if they need to sell their houses, if they need to move,” Mr Burson said at Tuesday night’s meeting.

“The other issue I’ve had raised to me is by the people who work in that general vicinity, they’re concerned about the air quality in the area.”

Mr Burson said a 5km area around the incinerator would be affected by the project, not only impacting Lara, but Corio and the bay.

Mr Burson also pointed out he hadn’t “seen anyone that’s pro- (incinerator)”.

“I’m just confused as to why it’s still going ahead,” he said.

His speech was met with applause from the public gallery.

Elise Wilkinson, who seconded the motion, said she’d “learned a lot” about incineration due to the project.

“Incineration is the most expensive way to manage waste, and the least efficient way to make energy,” she said.

“For every 100 tonnes of waste burned, 25 tonnes of toxic ash is produced.

“All waste incinerators emit deadly forever chemicals and toxic pollutants that travel long distances.

“It’s not a Lara issue, it’s a whole region issue.”

EARLIER: Geelong council doubles down on Lara incinerator opposition with Chris Burson motion

Geelong council is set to formalise its opposition of a waste-to-energy facility in Lara due to its proximity to homes and schools, as well as the potential for “odours”.

Chris Burson, whose You Yangs ward takes in the McManus Rd site, will introduce a notice of motion at Tuesday night’s council meeting that is expected to be endorsed comfortably.

The motion comes after the previous council wrote to the state government in September 2023 and April 2024 to highlight both its concern and that of the community.

The facility, widely referred to an “incinerator” given it would burn up to 400,000 tonnes of non-recyclable waste per year to produce 35MW of energy, has united politicians of all persuasions in their opposition.

Despite this, its Melbourne-based proponent, Prospect Hill International, received a development licence from Victoria’s Environmental Protection Authority in December 2023.

Council has no official power in the decision-making process, but Mr Burson’s motion, if passed, would see City Hall write to Planning Minister Sonya Kilkenny and request it become the authority for any similar future proposals in the region.

Proposed Lara incinerator. Source: Prospect Hill International.

The motion cites council’s concerns about “potential odours, air pollution and its proximity to residential areas, preschools and primary school”.

It also commits council to continuing its advocacy to the state government “to cancel the planning permit and development licence … in support of the Lara’s community’s ongoing efforts to protest local environmental and public health interests”.

Geelong councillor Chris Burson. Picture: Supplied.

A Prospect Hill spokesman said in July last year that the company was committed to engaging with the community.

Around the same time, Lara-based Bisinella Developments filed legal documents with the Victorian Civil and Administrative Tribunal opposing the EPA’s granting of the licence.

The tribunal has not yet handed down its decision.

Bisinella’s latest development in the area is the Lara Lakes Estate, located approximately 5km north of the where the incinerator would be located.

Originally published as Council united in its opposition to Lara incinerator