By VANESSA CHIRCOP
HOBSONS Bay City Council will request the Minister for Environment Tony Burke and Minister for Planning Matthew Guy to ‘call in’ the Innova Soil Technology Works Approval and Planning Permit appeals following the council’s refusal to issue a planning permit to the proposed soil remediation facility.
At the last council meeting, councillors moved to request the Minister establish an Advisory Committee to develop a policy framework for the appropriate location and long term operation of permanent and semi-permanent soil remediation facilities in Victoria.
Hobsons Bay Director Planning and Environment, Peter Gaschk said there is a policy vacuum regarding soil remediation facilities that needs to be addressed.
“There needs to be some proper policy frameworks established,” he said.
“The real issue in this case… trying to determine where the most appropriate site should be for a permanent soil remediation facility and what sort of buffer distances, and what other operating requirements should be placed.
“There’s been a lot of discussion, (but) there hasn’t been any policy framework put in place.”
Mr Gaschk added that gaps in the policy need to be filled in order to make a better decision on the Innova application.
Some councillors raised concerns about inviting the Minister to ‘call in’ the matter, saying they were worried the Minister might just deal with the approval instead of setting up an Advisory Committee.
Despite the concerns the motion was passed unanimously.
