Oberon Quarries Pty Ltd has lodged an application to expand and extend its operations for up to 30 years.
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The quarry began operations in 1995 five kilometres south east of Oberon, supplying blue metal rock materials for roadworks, construction, concrete, roadbase, aggregate, cement and gravel.
Managing director Neil Hargraves said the development application, if approved, would double the quarry’s output to 400,000 tonnes of material per year.
“We currently have approval to extract and process 250,000 tonnes of material each year and we are extracting about 200,000 tonnes,” he said.
“A resource shortage in Sydney has seen demand hot up, and the 400,000 tonnes per annum falls into line with what is left in the deposit.
“Penrith Lakes, which supplies at least 50 per cent of the Sydney market, is exhausted and companies are looking further afield for materials for infrastructure and building projects.
“Reaching the 400,000 tonnes per year is probably about five years away, with Bathurst growing and Sydney steaming ahead.”
Mr Hargraves said the government was spending a lot of money on roads, and his company had a couple of contracts to supply materials for the highway upgrade at Bathurst and at Hartley.
Oberon Quarries is one of Oberon’s major employers, providing jobs for around 35 people.
“If our DA is approved we will be looking to employ more people,” Mr Hargraves said.
Currently the business spends around $1.5 million a year on fuel.
“We also spend a lot in the local area on tyres, repairs, engineering and hardware,” he said.
When the company’s initial DA was approved in 1995, a condition of approval was payment for an upgrade of Titania Road, and a levy payment to Oberon Council for use of the local roads.
Mr Hargraves said Oberon Quarries is currently the only company in the area paying a road use levy.
“This levy would continue,” he said.
If the DA is approved by NSW Planning and Environment, the company will look at building an asphalt plant in Oberon.
Oberon mayor John McMahon welcomed the application.
“The quarry is creating a source of employment in the local area ... it’s nothing but good,” he said.
“The company made a substantial contribution to the upgrade of Titania Road to a haulage road and the levy they pay for road use is linked to the consumer price index.
“It’s a great resource for Oberon.”
The application also involves upgrading the quarry’s processing and transport infrastructure; transporting product from the site via road; and rehabilitating the site.
It can be viewed on the Department’s website (www.planning.nsw.gov.au) or at Oberon Council’s office until February 27.