A court has ruled in favour of a planned quarry expansion on the Sunshine Coast.
A decision delivered in the Planning and Environment Court on July 7 has paved the way for Hanson Construction Materials to deepen the Glasshouse Quarry and increase its annual extraction capacity.
It came after an appeal by Hanson (now part of Heidelberg Materials Australia) against Sunshine Coast Council’s deemed refusal, and amid opposition from conservation group Save Our Glass House Mountains, which claimed there could be significant environmental impacts.
Judge Nicole Kefford found Hanson had demonstrated the proposed expansion at the Mount Beerwah Road site would avoid or manage adverse impacts.
“The development application will be approved in due course, subject to conditions,” she said.
“I am persuaded that approval of the proposed development is in the public interest, including by reason of a demonstrated public and community need for the proposed development.”
The proposal would allow Hanson to extend extraction depth from 18m to 48m and increase annual production from the current limit of 600,000 tonnes to 900,000 tonnes in the first stage and 1.2 million tonnes in the second stage. While the quarry will become deeper, its extraction area would shrink from 42.33ha to 36.06ha, increasing the surrounding buffer area.
The court heard the existing quarry has operated since the 1980s and is located within a state-designated Key Resource Area recognised for its high-quality hard rock resource, which is considered important for the construction industry.
Hanson has stated that the current depth and production limits restricted its ability to meet growing demand and contributed to higher prices for quarry products.
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Sunshine Coast Council had in September not formally decided the development application, leading Hanson to appeal against its deemed refusal.
Meanwhile, SOGHM has raised concerns about potential environmental impacts, including increased noise, dust and traffic along haulage routes through the township.
A SOGHM statement to Sunshine Coast News said the decision was “deeply disappointing”.
“The Glass House Mountains are not simply a resource corridor. They are a living heritage landscape, a place of cultural significance, environmental sensitivity and deep community identity.
“SOGHM is still carefully considering the judgement and the full set of conditions before deciding on our options and our response going forward.”
SOGHM stated that it will host a concert “to help with legal costs and to bring the community together”.
“The Glass House Mountains deserve protection, not exhaustion. We will keep standing up for this place, for the community, for cultural respect and for the environment that future generations deserve to inherit.”
Judge Kefford, in her judgment, said Hanson had presented comprehensive expert evidence covering geology, groundwater, flooding, water quality, ecology, noise, air quality, blasting, traffic, visual amenity, planning and community need.
She concluded the proposed development complied with the local planning scheme and would provide a significant community benefit.
Final approval would be granted after the parties resolve the detailed wording of the conditions, with the matter due to return to court in August.
A Heidelberg spokesperson told Sunshine Coast News that the company welcomed the court’s decision.
“For more than 30 years, Glasshouse Quarry has supplied essential construction materials for homes, roads and critical infrastructure across the Sunshine Coast region. The approval will ensure the quarry can continue meeting growing demand and support major regional projects including The Wave.
“Following a development assessment process spanning almost a decade, Heidelberg is pleased that a clear pathway has now been established to deliver this important additional capacity for the region. Heidelberg looks forward to working with council to finalise approval conditions and progress this important project.”
The council told Sunshine Coast News that a judgment has been issued but the matter remained in appeal and, until the matter was finalised, the council would not comment further.
The council must provide proposed approval conditions by July 31. Hanson and SOGHM must identify any conditions they disagree with by August 7. The appeal will return for final decision or to set a hearing date for any dispute on conditions on August 13.
