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Call To Register Interest For Traralgon Bypass Inquiry

Latrobe City Council has strongly urged business groups, organisations, community groups and individuals who have an interest in the Traralgon Bypass – Supplementary Inquiry

By Latrobe City Council - 14th December 2006 - Back to News

to register their intention to provide a submission to support the findings of the original Advisory Committee of 2004, by the close of business this Thursday, or at the latest at the Directions Hearing taking place this Friday.

Latrobe City’s chief executive officer, Paul Buckley, said the Thursday deadline determined by the Department of Sustainability and Environment (DSE), precedes Friday’s Directions Hearing where people can find out about matters of a preliminary nature and be given directions about the conduct of the public hearing taking place in April 2007.

"People could reasonably expect to be informed on the Traralgon Bypass- Supplementary Inquiry process at Friday’s Directions Hearing, and as a result then register their interest in the ensuing days in being heard at the Public Hearing in April. However, that is not the case. The final deadline for registration is at the Directions Hearing itself," Mr Buckley said.

"Council is extremely disappointed with the timeframe provided by DSE for the community to lodge their intent to make a submission," Mr Buckley said.

Mr Buckley explained that it is very important that members of the community attend the Directions Hearing on Friday to demonstrate community support for the original bypass alignment, and register their request to be heard at the April Public Hearing.

"Businesses, groups and communities are in the throes of Christmas preparations, either gearing up for an extremely busy time, making plans to continue providing services with reduced staff during the seasonal break or even winding down for their annual closure. At such a hectic time it would be easy to take the eye off the ball for a moment; but this issue is far too important for the future of the region to be overlooked," Mr Buckley explained.

"Essentially, parties came together two years ago and agreed on a proposed route for the Traralgon Bypass. The agreement was then scuttled by the Department of Primary Industry relying on ‘Latrobe 2100’ to alter the path of the agreed route to accommodate possible future coal exploitation. Following enormous public concern that depriving the community of the bypass route and associated land would stifle growth in the Latrobe Valley, the Bracks Government agreed to hold the Traralgon Bypass - Supplementary Inquiry which will look into strategic land use matters including the proposed highway diversion, urban growth and coal resources between Traralgon and Morwell.

"Latrobe City Council sees retention of the route proposed for the Traralgon Bypass as an important strategic land issue and it is important for the community to send a clear and strong message to the Victorian Government that the 2004 decision on the bypass alignment needs to be reaffirmed.

"Realignment of the bypass, should it go ahead as mooted by the Department of Primary Industry, would prevent the future urban growth of the municipality. The Traralgon and Morwell townships currently have only four years of residential growth capacity. Good planning dictates a 25 year supply at any one time," Mr Buckley said.

"As a consequence it is vital our community makes its point on this matter," Mr Buckley said.

The Directions Hearing takes place this Friday 15 December at 1.30pm at Century Inn, Princes Highway, Traralgon.

Individuals need to register their intention to be heard at the April Hearing by filling out the relevant form for submission and submitting it to DSE, 71 Hotham Street, Traralgon by close of business this Thursday, or at the Directions Hearing on Friday.

Copies of the registration form are available on council's website www.latrobe.vic.gov.au, at council’s service centres, at DSE’s Gippsland Office at 71 Hotham Street, Traralgon; at VicRoad’s Eastern Regional Office at 120 Kay Street, Traralgon or from the DSE website www.dse.vic.gov.au.


Source: www.gippsland.com

Published by: news@gippsland.com



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