March 02, 2009 01:06pm
PLANS are being made for an asphalt plant just 100m from Maddington homes, despite Baldivis residents preparing to flee from a similar site built illegally last September.
The Maddington plant would be just 850m from East Kenwick Primary School.
Road construction company Downer EDi Works is waiting on the Department of Environment and Conservation to approve a building application.
Like the Baldivis site, which is 100m from the nearest residential property, the proposal cuts across environmental guidelines that recommend asphalt plants must be a full kilometre from homes.
The plant, 41km south of Perth, was built without government approval. It was fired up this week after a retrospective planning licence was granted.
The plant is needed to provide bitumen for the Perth to Bunbury Highway over the next nine months.
But residents say they are choking on diesel fumes that cause headaches, sore throats and stinging eyes.
The plant operator, the Southern Gateway Alliance, has offered to relocate affected families.
Residents say that while a relocation plan will provide temporary relief, they will have to return to contaminated land and water tanks.
Concerned Maddington residents have appealed to Environment Minister Donna Faragher to formally assess Downer EDi Works's application rather than leaving it in the hands of the DEC.
A spokesman for Maddington community group, Bickley Ward Progress and Ratepayers Association David Munut said the DEC had failed the people of Baldivis.
"The Maddington proposal has the capacity to adversely affect our air quality, and our quality of life,'' Mr Munut said.
"Unfortunately, recent events in Baldivis do not provide any confidence that our community will be looked after.''
"Anything less than a formal EPA assessment isn't only just an insult to our community, it's just blatantly stupid,'' he said.
The DEC maintain the Baldivis plant is safe.
In a statement it said: "The DEC only issued the works approval after it was satisfied that the environmental impact from the plant would be acceptable, as determined by odour modelling and air dispersion modelling.''
Baldivis plant operators, the Southern Gateway Alliance, were not fined or penalised for constructing their plant without government approval, the WA Planning Commission (WAPC) said.
City of Rockingham major Barry Sammels said he has written to the WAPC criticising their handling of the matter.
Dr Talbot says Environment Minister Donna Faragher has the power to move the Baldivis plant away from housing. She said she will be raising the issue in Parliament next month.
Residents say they will be pushing for a parliamentary inquiry into the matter.
Downer EDi did not return calls from The Sunday Times.
mailto:towien@sundaytimes.newsltd.com.au
Perthnow story link here.
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