Mr Croft represents C&C Enterprises, which has proposed to restart operations at the Millars Road site, which closed down six months ago when the previous tenant left.
He proposes to mill WA sawlogs in similar fashion to the previous tenant, and also to run a new process, processing residual waste from sawlog production.
The Shire has received numerous objections to the proposal, including noise, dust, traffic, potential harm to nearby Gooralong Brook and associated wildlife, and a perceived lack of finer detail.
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READ NOW‘The proposal is high on rhetoric and low on facts and figures,’ one submission said.
The Shire has also asked Mr Croft for more detail and its assessment has stalled pending the supply of that detail.
Mr Croft responded to the objections, saying the sawmill would create jobs and increase local trade, would use less water than the previous operation, would not use any chemicals and would support the protection of the environment.
He said concerns about noise, traffic and dust would be easier for him to address if he could view approvals the previous sawmills at the site operated under.
Mr Croft said the Shire had lost all such paperwork, despite numerous businesses operating the mill since the 1940s.
‘If the old development approval was located the Shire would have no reason to ask the residents if they object to the development approval or not, as it was already in place,’ he said.
Shire chief executive Richard Gorbunow said the Shire had no record of any approvals for sawmills at the site. ‘As the sawmill was originally established a long time ago, planning approval was not required at that time,’ he said.
More information at
http://comment.inmycommunity.com.au/news-and-views/local-news/Site-meeting-in-works/7661543/