The quarry owner wanted the daily limit of excavations from the quarry increased from 1000 tonnes to 4000 tonnes.

“The current limit...is a serious impediment to the continued operations of the quarry and its ability to service the needs of the local community,” the applicant said. 

Community members lodged 35 public submissions in relation to the matter.

All submissions received were objections to the increase.

The quarry’s application was lodged in December 2016, and after a long period of community consultation, council released a report on the matter in the minutes of the development committee agenda.

In the summary and conclusion, council staff wrote: the proposal to amend condition 14(h) to increase the daily tonnage limit to a maximum of 4,000 tonnes per day with an annual daily average of 1,000 tonnes will likely have a detrimental impact on the local community and is not in the public interest. 

Earlier in the report, it was noted roads in Tomerong would need significant upgrades to be able to handle the increased volume of trucks.

Also, dust from the trucks leaving the quarry has been an ongoing compliance matter for council’s compliance unit and the Environmental Protection Authority who licence the quarry operations.

Shoalhaven councillors will have the final say on the matter at the development committee meeting on Tuesday night.

A councillor told the South Coast Register it is likely most councillors will back council staff’s advice to keep the limit at 1000 tonnes per day.