Deep Creek Quarry

The community will be able to have their say in a public meeting on a proposal by Ironstone Developments Pty Ltd for a new hard rock quarry in the Limeburners Creek area. The project involves the extraction of up to 500,000 tonnes per annum of hard rock aggregate products, construction of a new intersection and access road, workshop, stockpiles, weigh bridge, power line and office.

The proposed Deep Creek Quarry is a State Significant Development application (SSD 11591659) located on the western side of The Bucketts Way approximately 12km north of the Pacific Highway and 11km south of Booral, within the Mid-Coast Local Government Area (LGA). The decision on whether the proposed project will be given planning approval has been referred to the Independent Planning Commission because the Department of Planning, Housing and Infrastructure received at least 50 unique submissions objecting to the proposal.

Commissioners Professor Snow Barlow (Panel Chair), Ken Kanofski and Janett Milligan have been appointed by the Commission Chair to determine the development application.

The public meeting on the proposed Deep Creek Quarry will be held at Clarence Town School of Arts Hall (48 Grey Street, Clarence Town, NSW 2321) on Wednesday 13 December 2023 (10:00am AEDT start).  The public meeting will be conducted as a livestreamed event, with registered speakers participating either in person at the venue or via online videoconference or telephone.  The Commission is also inviting written submissions from the public.

The Commission has access to all previous written submissions made to the Department of Planning, Housing and Infrastructure on this proposed development, however it is particularly helpful for the Commission Panel to hear the community’s views on the Department’s recent Assessment Report on the key issues and recommended conditions of consent. These documents are available on the Commission’s website https://www.ipcn.nsw.gov.au/cases/2023/11/deep-creek-quarry

The key issues identified in the Department’s whole-of-government assessment of the development application are biodiversity, traffic and transport, amenity impacts, air quality, dust and noise, and water resources.

Anyone wishing to present at the public meeting must pre-register on the Commission’s website using the Speaker Registration Form. 
The deadline for speaker registrations is 12:00pm AEDT on Thursday 7 December 2023.

Written submissions can be lodged via the ‘Make a Submission’ portal on the Commission’s website: https://www.ipcn.nsw.gov.au/make-a-submission. The Commission will also accept submissions made via post or email.
Written submissions will be accepted until 5:00pm AEDT on Wednesday 20th December 2023.

Please note
Registered speakers for the public meeting will be asked to indicate a preference for presenting to the Commission Panel either in-person at the venue or virtually (i.e. via Zoom video link or telephone). At this point, the public meeting will also be livestreamed on the Commission’s website. Please note that if the demand for either in-person or virtual attendance is low, the Commission may opt to conduct the meeting either entirely virtually, or entirely in person.  If demand for speaker timeslots is high and Wednesday 13 December 2023 becomes fully booked, the Commission will endeavour to schedule a second day, which would be conducted virtually as a livestreamed videoconference.

If either of these scenarios occur, this will be fully communicated to all registered speakers in advance, including how the Commission can assist people to attend the meeting virtually.  Please read the Speaker Registration Form carefully, and provide as much detail as possible.

These flexible arrangements ensure as many people as possible have the opportunity to be heard, while also making best use of public resources.

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