CSR Objection Letter

Mr and Mrs Law
70 Forest Acres Drive
Lake MacDonald
QLD
4563

6 May 2013

Marcus Brennan
Assessment Manager
Sunshine Coast Regional Council
By email - [email protected]

Re: Objection to MCU12/0216 – CSR Clay Extraction

Mr Brennan,

We wish to lodge an objection against the proposal submitted by CSR (SCRC ref MCU12/0216) to extract up to 90,000 tonnes of clay material from two locations along Lake Macdonald Drive over a condensed period of 2 years.

It is understood that the proposal would result in a total of 60,000 vehicle movements over the two year life of the project. From our calculations that means approximately 580 truck movements along Lake Macdonald Drive per week, or 116 trips per day based on a five day working week, or 11 trucks per hour based on a 10 hour day.   As evidenced by the current traffic being generated from the extraction of clay in the area it would appear that these vehicles will be large tip trucks with trailers.

As residents of the area who use Lake Macdonald Drive for at least three return trips a day we are concerned over the following aspects of the proposal:

Vehicle safety – Lake Macdonald Drive is a minor rural road with one lane each way that appears to be designed to cater for rural residential traffic.  The use of this road for the proposed volume of large vehicles poses a significant risk to driver safety.  These slow moving vehicles have the potential to enter the road at locations where line of sight is not substantial and cause accidents.
Dust – the current truck movements on Lake Macdonald Drive (between Swift Drive and Lake Ridge Crt) are resulting in significant streams of clay being left on the road surface.  In dry periods this results in dust generated from trucks and other cars using the road and makes vision difficult.  It is our concern that with the proposed increase in truck movements and the fact that extraction is proposed further along Lake Macdonald Road (towards Forest Acres) then the amount and length of road where dust is generated will increase significantly impacting the environment and driver safety.
.Wet Weather Safety – as noted above the proposed truck movements will result in the deposition of large amounts of clay on the surface of the road.  It is our concern that in wet weather this will result in very slippery conditions compiled by the heavy traffic conditions endangering motorists.
Environmental Damage – despite the installation of a grate on the current access road being used for transport of clay materials along Lake Macdonald Road, there are large qualities of clay being deposited on the road surface.  This material is either being turned into dust pollution by vehicle movements or is being washed into our waterways as sediment.  This will be a significantly larger problem for the proposed movement of 116 trucks a day along this stretch of Lake Macdonald Drive and will result in damage to the environment.
Noise – The area is rural residential and residential.  The proposed operation will result in over 10 trucks per hour passing the residential areas of east Cooroy including the new estates off Lake Macdonald Drive, existing residential areas, a child care centre and the primary school.
Traffic Congestion and Safety at the Corner of Lake Macdonald Drive and Elm Street – the impact of the proposed truck movements will not only be limited to Lake Macdonald Drive but will also impact residents within Cooroy.  The trucks will need to negotiate the intersection opposite the primary school, in a school zone, where there are significant existing traffic congestion and safety issues.  It appears that the truck and trailers currently being used for a similar activity cannot negotiate this intersection without passing onto the wrong side of the road.  The proposed increase in truck movements poses a significant risk to safety at this intersection.
Traffic Congestion and Safety at the Intersection of Elm and Myall Street – the proposed truck movements would need to pass over the existing railway bridge and turn at the intersection of Elm Street and Myall Street in order to access the Bruce Highway.  This area is substantially restricted and currently causes significant congestion issues twice a day.  The significant increase in large vehicles using the route will be potentially dangerous.

We trust that you will consider our views and prevent the potentially dangerous and damaging proposal progressing any further.

Regards,

Laura and Dan Law