The owners of a dairy farm which has operated at Croom for 151 years say they have been told to move off certain parts of their land while blasting takes place at the quarry next door.
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The Dunster family, who own the Figtree Hill property and dairy, are concerned about the impact on their land if the Cleary Bros Albion Park quarry is allowed to expand closer to their homes.
The proposal says blasting at the nearest point would occur just 30m from Figtree Hill’s property boundary. One of the two houses, which rattle and shudder when blasting takes place, would be less than 400m from the expanded quarry.
The family company Figtree Hill Pty Ltd has lodged a submission objecting to the expansion, which is being considered under the NSW Major Projects process.
Land use related to dairying is long established
- Susan Dunster's submission
In the submission, Susan Dunster writes that family members have been told to move off part of their land for periods while blasting takes place in the quarry.
She said the environmental assessment for the expansion bid makes no mention of how these situations would be dealt with.
The family is now concerned that as the quarry grew they have blasting exclusion zones extending hundreds of metres over their own property.
“There is no reference to the problems concerning the exclusion of people and stock from the buffer zone,” the Figtree submission says.
“We note two separate occasions when property owners were directed out of areas on Figtree Hill land and a public road to a distance of 400m. According to Cleary Bros … blasting contractors required this as a safety precaution for people and stock.
“There is also no reference to contingent actions taken in the event the owners of Figtree Hill Pty Ltd do not comply with the above requests to vacate that ‘buffer/exclusion zone’ extending over their land.
“Land use related to dairying is long established and predates quarry uses nearby.”
Cleary Bros chief executive Steve Rogers said the firm was in the process of addressing the concerns.
“Having commenced quarrying at this Albion Park site in the 1960s, the need for this latest Stage 5 and 6 resource results from continuing strong demand for quarry products ... which is very encouraging for our business, and the region, as a long-standing family owned business and significant local employer,” he said.
“Exhibiting of our modification application by the department forms part of the regular consultation process undertaken in projects of this nature.”
The Planning Department has told Cleary Bros that it must provide better detailed information on blasting and noise issues, setbacks from the Figtree Hill property, and impacts on agriculture.
