general map
Holcim - News

On 15 April 2011 Gold Coast City Council approved Holcim (Australia) building a concrete batching plant despite 170 formal community objections. This approval to start populating the Future Industrial Precinct completely disregarded the Department of Environment and Resource Management recommendations but the Council still went ahead to approve Holcim's application. The appeal by a number of local residents resulted in a strengthening up of very vague management plans that Holcim will now have to complete. The community is angry enough to demand stricter monitoring and follow up of these controls.

Click here for map.

Click here for video explaining the issues.

What this will mean?

  • Ridiculous 5am start and 7pm finish 6 days a week which will also set unwanted precedents for other businesses in the area
  • 200 additional trucks (plus service vehicles) resulting in unacceptable increase in traffic and ongoing consequences
  • Unacceptable outcomes for flora and fauna including the destruction of a wooded buffer zone
  • Unwanted impacts on the fragile local environment already reeling from the effects of the nearby quarry (including koala habitat and endangered species)
  • The visual amenity of the surrounding residential will be severely compromised
  • Additional dust and noise over and above existing quarry dust and noise.
!

Holcim's also wants to close a public road

Part of Holcim's grand plan is to close a public road. They have applied to Council to close the public road  to give "more security" to the industry estate through which it runs and because "no-one" uses this road except Holcim. The Ormeau community is right to question why Holcim are so keen to close this road.

Holcim have, for many years erected illegal gates at the entrance to this road and have also built a weighbridge illegally on the road.  Closing this road will legitimise their illegal activities.

The Ormeau community met to protest about the locked gates and the potential closure of a public road. The road serves as an entrance road to Holcim Quarry from Peachey Road but is a wonderfully rural road for the local community to walk on particularly on Sundays when there is no traffic.

Click here to view the media release.

Click here for map of proposed road closure and the location of a new industrial estate on Holcim land.

A petition was signed by 467 local residents to pressure Gold Coast City Council NOT to close the road. Unfortunately, despite advance warnings that the community was not happy for this proposal to get supported, it appears that the Council hurriedly passed a motion to the contrary. The road is still blocked. The Department of Environment and Resource Management is currently undertaking research about the road and is seeking public input. Submissions close on 6th Jan 2012.  Contact your local state member, Margaret Keech MP, to voice your opposition. The local councillor, Donna Gates, will not publicly discuss the matter and has even recommended that the community "only takes up fights that it thinks it can win". Charming.