By Violet Li
Casey Council approved the planning permit for the controversial waste transfer station next to the Hallam Road Landfill on Monday 4 November.
Hallam Road Landfill operator Veolia lodged the planning permit in late December 2023 to build a $27m commercial waste transfer station on the land adjacent to the landfill.
The proposed facility will be located approximately 250 metres from the nearest residential dwelling, and it is set to accept about 550,000 tonnes of municipal residual waste, construction and demolition waste, and commercial and industrial waste from Melbourne’s south-east.
It would recover and recycle some waste streams and transfer residual waste to energy recovery facilities.
Star News reported in January this year that the surrounding community rejected the proposed facility with concerns about fire risks, midnight noise, and increased traffic, dust, and odour.
On Casey Council’s website, it states the application achieves the objectives of several State Government policies including the State-Wide Waste and Resource Recovery Infrastructure Plan 2018 and the Victorian Recycling Infrastructure Plan.
“A review of the application against the relevant requirements of the Hampton Park Hill Development Plan, Casey Planning Scheme and relevant State Government policy was undertaken to ensure the waste transfer station is strategically justified,” it states.
“The Environmental Protection Authority (EPA), Country Fire Authority (CFA) and Department of Transport (DOT) have also reviewed the proposal and indicated no objection to the grant of the planning permit.
“Council considered several technical reports and utilised specialist input when making this decision.”
In a letter to the impacted residents, City of Casey Senior Statutory Planner Paul McMahon stated that there were no appeal rights for this decision as the application had been exempt from public notice requirements, the decision requirements, and the review rights.
Lynbrook Residents Association (LRA) spokesperson Viv Paine said once again planning in Casey was embroiled in controversy with the waste transfer station approval announcement after the council had repeatedly promised residents that once full the Hallam Road Landfill would revert to public open space.
“Once again the objections of 1056 Casey residents surrounding the landfill have been thrown aside by Casey Council in favour of allowing a huge new waste transfer station to be built alongside family homes in breach of the basic human right to live in peace and quiet without foul odours invading properties and impacting health and wellbeing,” he said.
“Clearly a far better location for any new waste transfer station in Casey would be on open ground along the Gippsland railway line so containerised waste from the facility can be efficiently transported by freight train to Maryvale for processing.”
EPA is assessing a development licence application by Veolia, a separate process to the planning permit application submitted to the council.
EPA will be undertaking community consultation on the development licence.
