By VANESSA CHIRCOP
HOBSONS Bay City Council has rejected a planning application by Innova Soil Technology to construct a soil remediation facility at the DOW petrochemical complex on Kororoit Creek Rd.
The council received 58 objections to the proposal, including three petitions with 1304 signatures.
The proposal, which has been the subject of contention among Hobsons Bay residents and councillors, proposes the treatment of contaminated soil taken from sites around Melbourne.
At a Special Planning Committee meeting last week the council rejected the application to the relief of several residents.
However Innova lodged an application to the Victorian Civil Claims Tribunal (VCAT) claiming the council failed to respond to the planning application within the 60 day time frame. A directions hearing was held at VCAT last Friday.
One Altona resident told Star the location was just too close to residents.
“They could do this on site,” the resident said.
“There’s no reason to have trucks transport all this dirt when they can do this on site.
“Altona will be a ghost town if they’re not careful – it’s really up to the government now to set up buffers on this.”
