Latrobe City Council has been advised by the Victorian Government of the decision to approve the proposed development at Fourth Road, Hazelwood North for the purpose of a Used Lead Acid Battery (ULAB) Recycling Facility.
Council acknowledges the Planning Ministers intervention in the planning scheme, under the auspice of the Development Facilitation Program, however is disappointed that the government failed to consult Council or the community on the matter.
After extensive community consultation Council voted to not issue a planning permit application for the ULAB recycling facility at a Special Council Meeting on 17 September 2020, due to the overwhelming concerns and feedback from the community.
The state government established the Latrobe Valley health innovation zone in 2016, as the first of its kind in Australia, in order to deliver better health and wellbeing outcomes for the community.
Council now asks the state government, what is the relevance of the Health Innovation Zone in this decision and what role will the Health Innovation Zone have going forward?
Details of the approved planning permit are yet to be received by Council. Council is committed to working with the government to ensure community sentiment relating to the health and environmental impacts of the approved facility are addressed and in order to ensure there are no negative health impacts associated with the facility.
Council decided that the ULAB Recycling Facility did not meet the requirements of the Latrobe City Planning Scheme. The decision was made on planning grounds, including taking into consideration amenity impacts.
