Anti-tip group urges council to oppose expansion

Stop the Tip campaigner Marion Martin. Pictures: Jason South

The Stop the Tip group has called on Wyndham council to make a submission opposing expansion of the Ravenhall tip.

Campaigner Marion Martin said Stop the Tip had approached Wyndham council to make a submission on behalf of residents who would be living within a couple of kilometres of the landfill if the proposed expansion was approved.

If tip owner Cleanaway’s application is approved, the landfill would be about 1.5 kilometres from the Wyndham-Melton boundary. The state government has taken over planning control from Melton.

The application will go before an independent panel, which will consider submissions and hold public hearings before preparing a report for Planning Minister Richard Wynne to make the final decision.

Ms Martin said that, if approved, the tip would be close to planned new estates in Wyndham, including the Elements estate in Truganina.

“I think the residents who are building in Elements estate should be aware of what they’re going to live with,” she said.

“They’re going to move in there and all they’ll smell will be the tip.”

Council Wyndham chief executive Kelly Grigsby would not comment on whether the council would make a submission opposing the expansion.

“Wyndham council has not formally considered the Ravenhall development, but staff are monitoring the progress of the development to ensure matters such as buffer zones, environmental impacts and traffic controls are appropriate.

“The Ravenhall tip site is located in the City of Melton and approximately 1.5 to two kilometres from Wyndham’s boundary.

“The Wyndham land which will be closest to the site is earmarked for future industrial use, meaning that residential developments in Wyndham will not be in the vicinity of the Ravenhall development.”