CLEANAWAY'S plans to establish a composting facility on the edge of Howlong will be decided at a neutral venue in a move which has riled the community group fighting the proposal.
Subscribe now for unlimited access.
$0/
(min cost $0)
or signup to continue reading
Howlong Community Committee was shocked to learn late on Thursday that the western joint regional planning panel will rule on the plant at the Commercial Club in Albury on June 15 and not in the town itself.
HCC chairman Stuart Sizer said the hearing to start at 3pm would be inconvenient for the people most affected.
"Unless the golf club is booked out for some reason why wouldn't they hold it here in Howlong?" he said.
"We've got to bring new information to the table to have any impact because they are aware of all the issues from the 340 submissions received.
"We will endeavor to get 300 people to the Commercial Club because it is one of our aims to have the hearing attended by as many people as we can.
"If we've got to get buses in we will."
In addition to community members, HCC has engaged two consultants to help fight the proposal to build the $8.5 million compost facility within the Howlong tip.
A JRPP spokesman said the panel to be chaired by Gordon Kirkby would carry out a site inspection before the determination hearing started in Albury.
Former long-serving Corowa Shire councillor and ex-mayor Bill Bott is also a panel member.
Greater Hume Shire also opposed the facility, but the newly created Federation Council has backed the plan for Howlong.
Albury-based consultants Habitat Planning has independently assessed the Cleanaway proposal on behalf of Federation Council and has recommended approval subject to 134 conditions being met.
Traffic conditions include Drew’s Lane speed limit being reduced to 60 km/h, use of air brakes prohibited in Drew’s Lane and Howlong-Goombargana Road and the Howlong-Goombargana Road be widened.
Also, Cleanaway must ensure there is no emission of offensive odour beyond the boundary of the compost facility.
The NSW Environment Protection Authority assessment of the proposal has put the JRPP on notice about "potential odour risk" once the plant is operational.
