CAMPAIGNERS against landfill are facing a renewed battle after a developer salvaged plans for an approved waste disposal site at Allawuna Farm near York.
Alkina Holdings wants to build a landfill similar to the Suez plan withdrawn in August last year, but with the waste input reduced by 50,000 to 250,000 tonnes a year.
The new application to the Department of Water and Environment Regulation (DWER) does not require planning consent because local law allows the approval to stay in place for two years. DWER advisers met Alkina representatives Sam Mangione and Jake Hickey in July to discuss the application to build the Great Southern Landfill.
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READ NOWAccording to DWER, the original works approval and technical studies remain in the public domain and provide a benchmark for the standards of regulators to approve such a proposal.
Waste from the metropolitan region would be transported to the new landfill site about 18km from York if the application is approved.
Shire of York President David Wallace said councillors would consider their options on Monday, given the landfill was approved indefinitely providing the development was substantially commenced before March 8, 2018.
Officers will recommend Shire CEO Paul Martin ask the Planning Minister to remove ‘special use’ on the land earmarked for landfill at Allawuna and for the area to remain general agriculture.
Councillors previously rejected the original landfill application, which was subsequently rejected twice by the Wheatbelt Joint Development Application Panel, then approved by a State Administrative Tribunal in March last year.
Cr Wallace said the council’s position had not changed, nor had the views of residents and farmers.
“Pretty much everyone in the Shire is against this proposal,” he said.
The York community has fought the landfill proposal since 2012.
Farmers Kay Davies and Robyn Davies, whose property borders Allawuna Farm, campaigned fiercely against the landfill proposal and in 2016 received nominations for the Premier’s Australia Day Active Citizenship Award.
Kay Davies said the new landfill application had been advertised only recently and the closing date for public comment was September 18.
“I’ve spent several days sending emails and posting information on social media sites to make people aware of the new proposal,” she said.
“My submission will focus on the effect of landfill on the environment, agricultural land, and the flora and fauna, and how waste could seriously affect Mundaring catchment and Mundaring Weir water.
“I believe the government needs to look at waste as a whole, to have a plan where they are in control of what happens to waste and not to leave waste management to private companies.”
Sam Mangione was contacted for comment.
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