There will now be a public consultation period. Shire President Matthew Reid said the council acknowledged there was significant community opposition to the application.
‘It was a very successful meeting,’ he said.
‘There was healthy debate and an open question time. By voting that the application may be a permitted use, we are able to release the application for public consultation,’ he said.
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READ NOWThe decision will also enable the input of any relevant authorities and for additional information to be obtained to facilitate a more comprehensive, detailed and thorough assessment of the application.
Avon Valley Residents Association chairman Keith Schekkerman said 170 people attended the zoning meeting, including representatives from waste disposal company SITA, as well as opponents of the planned development.
Mr Schekkerman said AVRA supported the way the council had handled the application.
‘AVRA support the council’s stand as public consultation is vital to the process,’ he said.
‘If anything, the public opposition to the landfill has become stronger since we first found out about it.’
The application will be open for public comment from next Saturday until March 15, after which the council will hold a public meeting to inform people about the submission process.
After the public comment period, the council will submit a report with the public submissions to the Development Assessment Panel for determination. SITA had hoped to begin work on the proposed landfill by late last year or early 2014.