Daracon Quarries subsidiary Buttai Gravel had applied to expand the quarry to extract 1.1 million tonnes of material every year for up to 25 years.

In its Statement of Reasons for Decision on Monday, the commission found that "the road transportation of 450,000 tonnes a year of hard rock quarry product over 25 years would have unreasonable and unacceptable impacts for the communities along the proposed haulage route".

The commission acknowledged that the project had "strategic value and economic benefits", and that the on-site issues associated with the proposed quarry - including water, air quality, noise and biodiversity impacts - could have been appropriately managed.

But it noted there would be "significant off-site impacts along the road haulage route".

The commission found that increased traffic of up to 160 truck movements per day through the main street of Paterson and to a lesser degree, Bolwarra and Bolwarra Heights, would have impacts on residential amenity, tourism, local businesses and road and pedestrian safety that would result in significant and adverse impacts on the communities in the affected areas.

The commission concluded that "the cumulative impacts of the proposed road haulage volumes are, on balance, not in the public interest, particularly given the 25 year period over which the impacts would be experienced".

The project had been recommended for approval by the Department of Planning, however the community fought a long campaign against it.

Daracon was found by the Land and Environment Court in 2019 to be unlawfully operating the site, which led to the quarry's operations being significantly scaled back.

IN THE NEWS:

WHAT DO YOU THINK? Join the discussion in the comment section below.

Find out how to register or become a subscriber here.