Coal & Allied listens and lists road relocation option

Coal & Allied has thanked the Singleton and surrounding community for feedback on its proposed extension of the Warkworth Mine, and in response has announced it will include an option to relocate Wallaby Scrub road in the Environmental Assessment for the proposal.

The original application for the proposed mine extension, lodged in October 2009, contemplated investigating options for relocation or closure (nominally in 2017).

Based on the preliminary results of the Environmental Assessment, closure was presented to the community in December 2009. However, following community feedback, Coal & Allied has this week announced that the proposal supports road closure however an option to relocate the road has now been included for consideration.

Coal & Allied has amended its original project application to include three additional lots of land owned by the Mount Thorley Warkworth joint venture participants, located to the south, for consideration of an alignment to relocate Wallaby Scrub Road within the Environmental Assessment.

General Manager Operations of the Mount Thorley Warkworth mine, Cam Halfpenny, thanked people for attending community information sessions held between 10-12 December in Bulga, Maison Dieu, Warkworth and Jerrys Plains.

"We were very pleased with the attendance figures and the opportunity to talk to people about our operations and our extension proposals," Mr Halfpenny said.

"We are looking to increase the area of approved mining within the footprint of existing leases at Mount Thorley Warkworth.

"The footprint of the extension is located on land owned by the Mount Thorley Warkworth joint venture participants. While we are not looking to increase our landholding for this extension, we are conscious of potential impacts that this could have on landholders, such as dust, noise and visual impacts.

"Closing Wallaby Scrub Road remains our preference, based on technical assessment.

"In order to close the road we would commit to working with Singleton Council and the local community on development contributions or works in lieu under the Environmental Planning & Assessment Act, which may includes providing community enhancement projects within the affected community, road contributions or development of a road closure management plan.

"However, we have listened to the community and heard their views. That is why we are including the road relocation as an option that local, state and federal governments will need to assess and decide on."

The Warkworth extension would cost some $600 million over 21 years and create an estimated 150 additional full time equivalent jobs on average up to the current consent period of 2021, plus an additional 950 full time equivalent jobs on average in the community from 2022 to 2031.

Coal & Allied plans to lodge an Environmental Assessment to government soon for adequacy review, ahead of a public exhibition later in 2010. The preliminary information presented at the recent community information session is available on the Coal & Allied website at www.coalandallied.com.au and is on display at the Coal & Allied shopfronts.

Coal & Allied listens and lists road relocation option [PDF: 29 KB]