Gunlake Quarry Extension

Gunlake's proposal involves increasing the maximum daily truck movements on Brayton Road from 320 to 690. This seems quite unacceptable for a number of reasons, including:
(a) increased safety concerns for all local residents, school buses and others using the road;
(b) marked increase in the wear and tear of the road - the only access road for the Brayton, Big Hill and Greenwich Park communities; and
(c) increased noise and dust for the residents along the route of the trucks.
Gunlake should be required to use rail instead of road - ideally for all its transport but certainly for this significant increase in shipments. Rail was the solution adopted by Holcim for its quarries. Gunlake should be required to use this safer and more responsible alternative.

Application No SSD 7090,

Gunlake's plan to increase production from 750,000 tonnes a year to 2 million tonnes a year, for the next 30 years would mean an increase in truck movements along Brayton Rd from 164 per day to an average of 440 trucks per day, 24 hours per day, 7 days a week, 365 days a year. This is one truck every 3 minutes and on many days this would apparently increase to 690 trucks a day i.e. one truck every 2 minutes. Each truck carrying roughly 40 tonnes of crushed rock. This is a massive road safety problem. Brayton Road is a narrow country road as well as being a school bus route.

The impact will be hugely significant in terms of safety to locals, noise, dust and light pollution. Ed's report says, "the local community is generally positive and supportive". I can tell you we are not. We are very concerned about all issues mentioned above, not to mention road kill and our real estate values. Gunlake stands to gain millions of dollars, if not billions over the period, whereas the locals stand to lose a great deal..

Ed's EIS has rejected the option of sending these 2 million tonnes of crushed rocks to Sydney every year by rail, as Holcim does, because using trucks is cheaper. Holcim have demonstrated clearly how quarries and community can co-exist safely, co-operatively and profitably. Why can't Gunlake do the same?

Lets ship these products to market in the safest, most responsible way possible . Clearly Ed O'Neil, Gunlake, the Department of Planning and the State Government owe it to the locals around here, and everyone else between Marulan and Sydney, to move this product in the safest way possible, not just the cheapest way possible. Trucks already clog the highway and have been involved many times in fatal accidents.
It is time the wishes of the local people, the electorate, are taken into consideration as opposed to financial benefits to Corporations and the State.

In my opinion, It is absolutely outrageous for Gunlake to seek such a huge extension to their existing operations. The effect on local residents (like myself) of having 24 hour blasting and at least a three-fold increase in the trucks travelling to and from the quarry site, would have an intolerable and deleterious impact on our right to enjoy a quiet and peaceful rural life.

I suggest that any extension to the quarry area, blasting hours, and number of trucks travelling back and forth, should be limited to no more than a 50% increase in Gunlake's current operation, and that no trucks at all should be permitted to go through the Marulan village (i.e. along George Street). Moreover, ALL trucks must use the By-Pass Road to enter and exit the Highway.

Executive Director - Resource Assessment and Compliance
Department of Planning and Environment
23-33 Bridge St
Sydney NSW 2001

Dear Executive Director,

Re: Gunlake Quarry Extension Project

With this letter I lodge my objection to the proposal and voice my concern that the Environmental Impact Study is neither impartial nor complete in its scope.

Part of the Secretary's requirement for the Gunlake Extension Proposal was the inclusion of "a detailed assessment of any such option as is potentially feasible".
In the opinion of the local residents, myself included, the option of connecting both road and rail through Lynwood quarry to the South Marulan overpass seems the most logical and reasonable alternative to that proposed. Yet, as per the Secretary's requirement, this option is not adequately explored.

I am not opposed to Gunlake increasing its production but feel it should not be at the cost of local residential owners inconvenience. By joining with the Lynwood quarry and its infrastructure the heavy haulage would be confined to a specific area instead of spread to nearby residential areas such as Bypass Rd and Red Hills Rd.

The cost to facilitate that new infrastructure is certainly more to begin with but across the lifespan of the quarry this would be a minimal difference.
It is also a concern that I was not notified by mail as this proposal directly affects my access to the township of Marulan via Bypass Rd and to the Hume Highway. Fortunately I heard by word of mouth that this proposal was in place and needed to locate the information for myself, how is this considerate of the local residents and their environment.

I request that the proposal in its current shape be declined and that consultation should occur with local residents to establish a workable solution for all parties.

Regards,

Mark and Jennifer Van Laarhoven

I am writing to add my voice to the expressions of horror that I hear from many of my neighbours regarding this proposal by Gunlake to expand the noise & destruction they are already responsible for in the area.

The current 160 or so truck movements a day are already ripping up the fairly recently built Bypass Rd & Brayton Rd and to increase the movements to an average of 440 peaking at 690 is madness. An additional up to 530 truck movements a day on the Hume Highway is also not something to contemplate.

Secondly, the noise from the crusher is able to be heard many kilometres away from the site. I was at a meeting where Mr O'Neil promised to put it in a shed to contain the sound & dust. I believe Mr O'Neil no longer intends to do this. It has been done by Holcim at their nearby crusher & the result is no noise & no dust. I have heard the noise & seen the dust from Gunlake from over 8 kms away. I understand the dust contains small particles which are a hazard health.

Gunlake have said they would keep the community informed by letterbox drop & a public meeting at Marulan and like the promise to put the crusher in a shed they appear to be hot air.

If this expansion is allowed it must be on condition that the crusher be enclosed to stop the irritating noise & unhealthy dust and a large proportion of the quarry output be sent by rail and not on the local roads & Hume Highway. I believe the Holcim rail siding is available to Gunlake and the two companies are only 500 meters apart.

I want to add my voice to the protests against Gunlakes expansion proposal. As it stands it appears their business plan is to get their quarried rocks to Sydney by truck at huge expense to the community, the environment and the State. Brayton Rd, the Bypass road and the Hume Highway do not have to be overloaded with this traffic as there is an accessable rail line designed to transport heavy goods safely.
At a community meeting last year the owner of Gunlake was asked how he would like to live next to a jack hammer operating 24 hours a day and yet they say they will not build a sound proof shed over the quarry crushing plant. If Holcim at the nearby quarry can do it so must Gunlake. I live 8 km across the valley but I have heard to noise of their plant during the trials.
This expansion will only be acceptable if they use rail to safely transport the rocksto Sydney and sound proof the crusher.

EIS SSD 15-7090
Gunlake Quarry, 715 Brayton Rd, Marulan NSW
Haulage Routes

We are making this submission in the respect of the above proposal. Our direct interest rates to the proposal contained in the EIS for a significant expansion of the haulage route along Brayton Road and specifically along Bypass Road and Red Hills Road onto the Hume Highway, Marulan.

Our property adjoins the Bypass Road and Red Hills Road to bypass Marulan. We are the owners of the land covered by Lot 19 DP 700290 and Lot 1 DP 713126 and we have been the owners for 23 years.

We strongly oppose this proposal. We would like Gunlake to consider option 4 for the best result for all land holders for reasons such as land value, livestock and the community. Option 4 would be the best option for the long term whole of Marulan Transport.

Quarry trucks heading South on the Hume Highway are bypassing the Checking Station by using Highland Way as a U-Turn point and not going through their designated route on a daily basis. If this proposal goes ahead, we are predicting that not too far in the future, there will be a major truck accidents. We know. We live here and see it on a daily basis.

There are three major land owners on Red Hills Road, not two as stated in their DA and we have not been consulted, we only just found out by one of the land owners otherwise we would not know about this DA.

So much for the peace and serenity of living in the country.

END OF SUBMISSION

I wish to protest regarding the proposed expansion of the Gunlake Quarry operations. The increase in truck movements along Brayton road will lead to increased road kill and danger to both wildlife and the general public, particularly with this being a School Bus route and the width of the road not permitting sufficient passing for two semi-trailers without the road edges being compromised.
The proposal for the quarry to undertake 24hour crushing will also be an issue as the sound travels quite easily across the countryside and can be heard from our farm location a few kilometres away. This is also why we protest the proposed twice-weekly blasting, which will increase the dust particulation being carried across the countryside.

I have grave concerns over the increased truck movements. The road is barely wide enough for two to pass safely. Trucks cut corners and often travel in the middle of the road and I have winessed a number of near misses. This will become even more dangerous for local traffic with the plan for 24 hr operation and further increase the chance of human fatalities. The crusher can already be heard from our property, a few kilometres away, and 24 hr operation will provide noise pollution to an area which was pristine. Prevailing wind will also carry this much further. There is a very high risk of increased dust pollution, which with the prospect of climate change and lower rainfall will impact on the surrounding area.

See attached file.

See Attached

As attached

Submission on behalf of Towrang Community Progress Group

Submission from Mick and Tracey Connelly

Submission for Alan Burman - 658 Carrick Road Towrang

Please see attached submission

Submission for Dr Max Humphreys and Mrs Jane Rothman

Refer to attached document

On behalf of Dr Michael Sernik, 84 Narelle Lane, Towrang

see attached letter