SITA Australia and Sutherland Shire Council have been accused of "trickery" for not advising the members of a community consultation group about plans to expand the Lucas Heights waste centre.
Jane Rouvray, a member of the Lucas Heights Community Reference Group, said she felt "used" when she found the proposal had been developed without their knowledge.
However, another member, Dawn Emmerson, supported the way that the matter had been handled.
Ian Kolln, a third community representative, was more concerned at the council being so agreeable about the expansion after fighting a a "mega tip" on the site in the late 1990s.
The proposal would mean the life of the Lucas Heights Resource Recovery Park is extended by 12 years, from 2025 to 2037.
Existing landfill would be over-topped to a height of up to seven metres before the site is rehabilitated into "rolling hills".
SITA and the council have been co-operating on the plans for the past year, leading to the preparation of a voluntary planning agreement that requires state government approval.
The Lucas Heights Community Reference Group, which also includes landowners, ANSTO, council representatives, MPs and NSW Environment Protection Authority officers, meets every three months.
Ms Rouvray said that providing community representatives of the group with details only a few hours before they were released to the public amounted to ‘‘trickery’’.
‘‘I have been going to meetings in my own time for years without these plans being mentioned,’’ the retired deputy school principal said.
‘‘Now, it’s virtually a done deal.
‘‘I feel like I have been manipulated.
‘‘You get a seedy feeling that it’s just about them ticking the boxes.’’
Ms Rouvray said she had contacted councillors asking for an explanation on how ‘‘losing parklands for 13 more years, transporting rubbish across the city by road, possible odours from an 80 per cent increase in rubbish and increased traffic will benefit the larger Menai community’’.
‘‘The councillors said we were not told because the negotiations were ‘commercial in confidence’,’’ she said.
‘‘They said that the council felt
that it was better off being in the negotiations rather than out of them.’’
Ms Rouvray said councillors told her they had ‘‘fought’’ to get $20 million of the $100 million the council would receive from the deal.
But she believed this was not enough, given the impact on the area.
Dawn Emmerson, who has been a member of the consultation group since 1985, said this was the fourth expansion of the tip.
‘‘I am disappointed, but I feel it is inevitable,’’ she said.
Ms Emmerson said SITA had been responsive to residents’ concerns, and she accepted the company needed to draw up plans before seeking feedback.
Mr Kolln said Menai deserved a bigger slice of the $100 million.
STILL EARLY STAGES
SITA Australia and the council provided the same response to the criticism that they had kept community representatives of the reference group ‘‘in the dark’’.
‘‘The project is in the early stage of the planning process, and community feedback will inform the planning proposal, expected to be submitted to the Department of Planning and Environment next year,’’ a spokeswoman said.
“SITA has worked with council and ANSTO to develop initial plans for the project and are now seeking community input to assist in [developing] the planning document.
‘‘Members of the Lucas Heights Community Reference Group have been informed and have regular meetings with SITA and council.’’
Details were provided of three ‘‘drop-in sessions’’ held for the community.
The first was at Engadine on December 2, with further sessions at Menai Community Centre on December 4 and 6.
A SITA spokeswoman said there would be more chances for members of the community and stakeholders to have a say, including a consultation period after exhibition of an environmental impact statement.
The spokeswoman said the $100 million would be provided to the council over 15 years.
Do you think there should be more community consultation about plans to extend the Lucas Heights waste centre?
