On the 13th of February 2023 the NSW Independent Planning Commission (IPC) determined to refuse Daracon’s proposed Martins Creek Quarry Expansion project. The IPC Statement of Reasons for the decision found that road transportation of product for 25 years would have unreasonable and unacceptable impacts for the communities along the proposed haulage route.
The IPC are delegated by the Minister for Planning to either approve or refuse Sate Significant Developments this is the end of the road for SSDA 6612 however we understand that Daracon has six months to lodge a merit based appeal against the IPC decision with the NSW Land and Environment Court, if that application were to occur the merit assessment of the project would be recompleted by a NSW Land & Environment Court Judge and other parties not just the appellant would be entitled to be heard during that process.
Importantly the Martins Creek Quarry facility can continue to operate in accordance with the 1991 consent and orders of the NSW Court of Appeal.
MCQAG will maintain a watching brief regarding compliance of existing lawful railway ballast operations at the site going forward. To report any complaints regarding existing operations please contact the New South Wales EPA Environment Reporting line.