WAGGA’S largest employers are “bewildered” by a council decision with the potential to undermine the city’s economic engine room.
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On Tuesday night, councillors unanimously supported the development of 23 housing lots just hundreds of metres from a sewerage plant, abattoir, lead battery recycling plant and other heavy industry.
The business community is especially concerned residents will complain about the noise generated by shunting trains and trucks at the proposed Riverina Intermodal Freight and Logistics (RIFL) Hub.
Teys Australia recently spent close to $12 million upgrading effluent ponds to satisfy existing residents close to the Bomen processing plant and was “disappointed” council didn’t consult them before rubber-stamping more homes nearby.
“Teys operates according to industry best practice, but we hope we don’t encounter problems by the encroachment of residential areas on business,” corporate and industry affairs manager John Langbridge said.
“We’re not sure why people would want to develop there, given there’s plenty of good land in Wagga.
“We’re disappointed in the council process, because we have objected to that development in the past and we weren’t consulted before this decision.”
Wagga Business Chamber president Tim Rose said council had come close to betting the city’s future on one property development.
“Businesses will now think twice when they consider investing in Wagga,” Mr Rose said.
“Residential and industrial don't mix, there needs to be a clear buffer between the two because more residents always leads to more complaints.
“If there was a land shortage in Wagga I would understand, but there's not.
“Even the Environmental Protection Authority (EPA) was very strongly against extra residential blocks in the Bomen area.”
Managing director of Enirgi Power Storage, the parent company of Renewed Metal Technologies’ $50 million Bomen battery recycling plant, Todd Vaines said there needed to be a limit to “residential encroachment”.
“For Wagga to prosper in the future we need a mix of economic activity, but too much residential close to Bomen will turn businesses away,” he said.
“We always meet EPA conditions but as industry develops, so does the activity level, the truck movement and the noise.”