FOLLOWING reports in the Moreton Border News about residents’ opposition to any new dump in the area, Ipswich City Council organised an information session at the Rosewood Library last Wednesday.

Council is investigating options to replace the Rosewood dump at Oakleigh Colliery Road with a larger facility.

Division 4 Councillors Russell Milligan and Kate Kunzelmann, Division 1 Councillors Jacob Madsen and Sheila Ireland and Mayor Teresa Harding took part in the meeting.

Cr Harding said the current facility in Rosewood was originally intended as a temporary facility but has now been operating for more than 20 years.

“A new facility is needed due to the significant population growth expected in the area, however it is worth noting that the current site of the Rosewood centre is one of the proposed options under consideration,” she said.

“Council is now undertaking a feasibility study to assess the suitability of all proposed sites which include Oakleigh Colliery Road, Urry Road, Rosewood Marburg Road and on Rosewood Laidley Road.

The feasibility assessment is expected to be completed by October and the community consultation phase is expected to be held in November.

Calvert resident Rachel Berlin who has been one of the main organisers behind the meetings for the residents, said that while some residents were not happy with the answers that were provided to the questions, she was grateful that there was finally a presence from the council.

“As Rosewood is not the only area of actual, or projected, growth in the Ipswich area, it raises the question why council is specifically looking to install a waste facility in the western district?” she said.

“We are in hope that council will consider a different site to the one at Calvert.

“Surely council owns, or has access to other parcels of land, and why not utilise another previous mine site?

“Undeniably, ingress and egress of the council owned block at Calvert is hazardous at best, it would be extremely dangerous and there is great risk to the wildlife, fauna and flora.

“What biohazards would be exposed, how about the contamination run off onto neighbouring properties, there would be potentially hazardous introduced waste material also affecting run off, especially after heavy rain and flooding events.”

Cr Harding said that as the new site is not a landfill site there is no specific buffer distance required and the Environmental Authority will consider any operational impacts on neighbouring properties.

“Residents in the near vicinity of the new refuse station who might wish to seek compensation would need to contact Council’s Risk and Insurance section to lodge a claim.”

While residents raised their concerns and expressed their feelings in regards to the Calvert site, Cr Russell Milligan and Cr Jacob Madsen both stood up to express their personal opinions.

Cr Madsen said that he will stand behind the residents and that he totally understands their concerns in regards to the Calvert site.

“You have my vote in regard to the Calvert site being dangerous and not the right site for the new facility,” he said.

“I have personally visited the site and I agree that it is dangerous, and that it is too close to residents who live in that area.”

Cr Milligan backed Cr Madsen agreeing that the site was dangerous and not the right place for the new facility.

“I am very familiar with the site at Calvert. In fact this was my daily commute to and from work daily, so I am aware of the amount of traffic on that road,” Cr Milligan said.

“The residents have my vote and all families need to know that I will stand by them, and represent them and I totally understand all of the concerns that they have.”