10/11/2008 - Next phase underway for Stanthorpe Urban Water Project
Council has wasted no time in starting the investigation process for the Petries Crossing off-stream storage option.
Deputy Mayor, Cr Peter Blundell said that following Council’s decision on 3 November 2008 to investigate this option under Stanthorpe’s Urban Water Project, all landholders who could be affected by the weir, off-stream storage or inundation area have been contacted.
“Two landholders were visited at their homes, four landholders and family members attended an informal meeting with Council staff last Thursday evening and when advised by phone, the remaining four landholders considered little benefit to a face-to-face meeting at this time,” Cr Blundell said.
“The need for more water storage for Stanthorpe is understood by residents and likewise, landholders appreciate that the storage has to go somewhere,” he said.
Two properties have been identified as possible sites for the off-stream storage. These landholders, whilst accepting the logic of this choice and agreeing to surveyors accessing their properties, are aware that locating an off-stream storage on their property may have a substantial impact on farming sustainability and the size of the balance area of a property.
At the meeting, landholders had plenty of questions for Council staff in regard to how far the inundation area will extend, existing allocations and entitlements under the Water Act, and the effect on farming practices for remaining properties.
Council officers assured landholders that they will be kept informed of survey results as this will determine if the project is even feasible in this location.
Cr Blundell advised that a meeting has also been organised with State Agencies for Wednesday, November 12.
“On this day, representatives from the Coordinator-General, Department of Infrastructure and Planning, Department of Natural Resources and Water, Environmental Protection Agency, and the Department of Local Government, Sport and Recreation will undertake a site visit and will discuss how to spend the SCAP funding for the investigations, as well as how to mitigate environmental impacts,” Cr Blundell said.
ENDS
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Tracy Vellacott
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(07) 4661 0305
