Martins Creek Action Group secretary James Ashton said residents were concerned and anxious about the negative impact on villages between Martins Creek and Maitland if Daracon’s plan to increase its annual extraction limit from 300,000 tonnes to 1.5 million tonnes was approved. 

Mr Ashton said residents were also worried about the company’s plans to create a new access to the site, clear 27 hectares of native vegetation so it can expand its extraction areas, and increase loading and operating hours.

“It’s an issue that affects the region, there are issues for the communities of Lorn and Bolwarra as well as Martins Creek, Paterson and Brandy Hill,” he said. 

“We would like the department to enforce upon Daracon that they have to take [the material] by rail.”

The state government is seeking feedback on Daracon’s 2400-page environmental impact statement until Thursday, November 24. 

Three hundred residents attended a community meeting in Paterson last week where some raised their concerns with the NSW Department of Planning and Environment representative.

Many questioned how they were supposed to find the time to comb through such a large document and respond appropriately before the deadline. 

“People were asking how can a member of the community respond two a 2400-page document – how can they read it, understand it and respond to it in time,” Mr Ashton said. 

Residents have been advised to focus on the impact the plans will have on them in their submission. 

Under Daracon’s plans quarrying would take place from 6am to 6pm Monday to Saturday, processing would happen between 6am and 10pm on the same days and mixing and binding would occur from 4.30am until 10pm Monday to Saturday. Stockpiling, loading and dispatching road transport would occur between 5.30am and 7pm.