THE five-year battle by WA Plantation Resources to build a $10 million woodchip mill in the South West comes to a head this week, with Planning and Infrastructure Minister Alannah MacTiernan personally hearing submissions from the company and the City of Bunbury.
Ms MacTiernan took the unusual step last month of calling in a planning appeal for her personal determination on the basis of the project’s regional importance.
Japanese-owned Wapres initially planned to build a woodchip mill near Donnybrook then switched its focus to a site at the port of Bunbury, where South Korean company Hansol was able to build a woodchip mill in 2003 without any planning delays.
A development application submitted by Wapres in August 2004 and a structure plan submitted in June 2005 have both been rejected by the City of Bunbury.
The issue has been fuelled by a vocal residents’ lobby group, whose members include federal Liberal MP Geoff Prosser.
The issue has been further politicised by the role of recently elected state Liberal MP John Castrilli.
When Mr Castrilli was mayor of Bunbury, the city approved the Hansol project without taking the matter to council.
Ms MacTiernan said Mr Castrilli should support the Wapres project in the same way he supported Hansol.
To try and progress the Wapres project, Ms MacTiernan has already taken written submissions from Wapres, the City of Bunbury, the port authority and the WA Planning Commission.
This week she will take oral submissions before making a decision on the structure plan.
The State Administrative Tribunal would then be able to make a final decision on the development application.
Construction of the Wapres mill would trigger development of new transport infrastructure in the hinterland, which has been championed by Ms MacTiernan as a solution to safety issues associated with logging trucks.
The Wapres controversy coincides with a continuing battle between Hansol and the port authority over plans for coal exports, which Hansol believes would contaminate its woodchips.
The State Government is keen to promote coal exports to try and maintain jobs in the Collie coal industry, and one option being considered is the $60 million construction of a new berth.
