THE announcement of $400,000 in NSW Environmental Trust funding has left some Camden Haven residents feeling less than excited.
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A $200,000 grant from the NSW Government Waste Less, Recycle More initiative will go towards closure procedures and clay capping at the Dunbogan tip site.
A second grant of $200,000 will fund bulk earthworks and construction at the Kew Waste Transfer Station facility.
Logans Crossing residents Darryl Davis and Keith Aiken contend the process to establish the Kew Waste Transfer Station has been flawed and that the protracted task of establishing of a final site for the waste station has cost ratepayers dearly.
As the Courier reported in December 2013, community members had expressed their opposition to the decision to opt for a waste transfer station on the narrow, unsealed Herons Creek Road, when the council in 2005 had compulsorily acquired, via legal proceedings and at considerable expense, the Taylors Quarry site at Kew, specifically for use as a waste transfer station.
Mr Davis says residents have been denied the opportunity to properly voice their opposition.
"The democratic process was corrupted to achieve the outcomes the council wanted," Mr Davis said.
In October 2013 Mr Aiken wrote a five page letter of complaint to the then council General Manager, outlining what he believed to be procedural deficiencies in addressing concerns over the contents of a report presented to council.
Mr Aiken also raised issues regarding the attitude of certain council staff members.
The men say despite receiving an "off the record" apology from a senior council staff member, the community consultation process has been bypassed and their objections effectively silenced.
The development application (2014-0576) for the waste transfer station was approved by council in December, subject to recommended conditions. These conditions include:
a) Upgrading of Herons Creek Road.
b) Minimisation of impact on conflict with other land uses in the locality.
c) Limiting the hours of operations to 8am to 4pm, seven days per week.
d) All heavy vehicles accessing the site will do so using the southern portion of Herons Creek Road.
e) Mitigation measures for dust and odour control.
f) Restricting construction activities to between the nominated construction hours, between 7:00-6:00pm Monday to Friday, and 8:00am-1:00pm Saturday.
Work is due to commence on the transfer station in the second half of the year.
