The Joint Regional Planning Panel will re-convene next week, exactly two months to the day when it deferred a decision following a packed public meeting in the town.

A JRPP spokesman confirmed on Monday the panel chaired by Gordon Kirkby and including former Corowa Shire councillor Bill Bott would meet with representatives from Federation Council and Howlong Community Care before handing down a decision.

The panel’s June 15 decision to defer a decision was in part due to a request for more information from the applicant, Cleanaway, about air quality, traffic and management of the proposed site within the Howlong tip area.

Also, the panel wanted additional information from Federation Council on whether the proposed site would be within or in the vicinity of land identified for Howlong’s future growth.

The updated information was posted on the JRPP website on Monday.

As part of the response,the matter of air-borne pollutants was addressed in the Environment Protection Authority’s general terms of approval and the Howlong-Goombargana Road, where the tip site is located, will be widened to accommodate the additional traffic generated.

Truck movements within Howlong will be confined to between 18 and 34 movements per day in Sturt Street between Monday and Friday.

Future residential growth of Howlong is earmarked for the area south and east of the golf course.

An area east of Holbeach Street is also shown as potential future residential land, but is constrained by the need to maintain distance from the industrial zone.

HCC chairman Stuart Sizer said the town remained totally opposed the proposal and wouldn’t rule out an appeal to the NSW Land and Environment Court if the panel decides in favour of Cleanaway.

“There has been no shift in that,” he said.

He said Albury Council’s recent offer to locate the compost facility within its waste management centre was a game-changer.

Cleanaway has been unable to be contacted for comment.

The Border Mail understands waste is presently being transported to a site near Sale and not Wagga.