Gidgegannup’s Draft Local Area Plan (GDLAP) touches on mining

Details

Published: Tuesday, 20 December 2016 17:30

Under the Content heading of a July 2016 Draft Gidgegannup Local Area plan (page 10 Item 2.1) the Swan Shire identifies bauxite / alumina as a valuable resource in the Gidgegannup region.

The GDLAP also touches on issues that are associated with mining and or extractive industries and they are:

• Dust: Air – dust mentioned. Item 6.1.8 
• Noise: From mining activities to the north east of Gidgy. Item 6.1.9
• Increased traffic: On both road and Rail. Item 6.1.9
• Rail: 50% increase in rail movements. Item 7.82
• Key Issues: Page 40 Table 5.Potential loss of biodiversity & the emphasis on the need to consider the significance of the environment and assets of the ‘Hills’ lifestyle, page 40 Table 5.
• Limited sustainable water, also page 40 Table 5.(Opinion - mining would contribute to this).

It is also important to note that the City of Swan conducted a Transport Strategy in 2014, where it was identified that there will be growth in rail movements by up to 50% in the next 10 years.

Without seeing a copy of the Transport strategy, it can only be assumed that much of the growth would more than likely come from mining along the Brookfield rail network north east of Gidgegannup.

The mention of mining in a DRAFT Local Area plan merely reinforces the very real threat of open cut bauxite mining here in the Avon and Hills region.

Current tenement holders of the Felicitas and Fortuna resources Yankuang bauxite resources, will no doubt try to mine these and other tenements to the north east of Gidgy at some point in the future and this DRAFT local area plan, merely allows provision for that to happen and should fly a bright RED flag in the face of everyone who lives here.

We must all remain vigilant and steadfast against mining here, or the potential issues listed, plus many more, WILL one day become our reality.

To view and read the Draft Gidgegannup Local Area plan click here.

Some readers may take a different view point, but AHMAG report it as we see it.

AHMAG