Council tip proposal frustrates residents

A proposed new tip in Broome has angered surrounding residents, who are worried about water contamination, smell and potential health problems.

The council is in a five-year race against time to find an alternative facility that would require a number of permits and licences.

A potential site on Crab Creek Road was flagged in 2012, but its proximity to the area earmarked for the relocation of Broome International Airport posed issues.

Preliminary investigations were undertaken into an alternative location on McGuigan Road. Concerned residents fired a number of questions to highranking Shire of Broome officials and president Graeme Campbell at a recent ordinary council meeting.

Coconut Well man Tony Hutchinson said persistent easterly and south-easterly winds would cause a “significant detrimental environment” to people living in the suburb.

He said this would be caused by airborne material with the potential to cause allergic reactions with unpleasant smells.

Shire executive manager strategic development Darryl Butcher told him the McGuigan Road site was 5km from the nearest Coconut Well property compared to Buckley’s Road, which was 6km away.

He said issues raised by Mr Hutchinson would have to be “adequately addressed in any application for approval”.

In responding to a question from Harold Tracey, Mr Butcher confirmed the McGuigan Road site was included in the Broome Water Reserve, but was “not a priority one water supply protection area”.

“The bore field is a considerable distance away and it appears the groundwater flow is away from the bore field,” he said.

Don Hodgson labelled the latest proposal as “insane” and said the council faced an estimated $300 million compensation package to Coconut Well property owners if it went ahead.

Mr Campbell said if council proceeded to detailed investigation of the McGuigan Road site, it would require extensive geotechnical and hydrological research, vehicle traffic studies and assessments on flora and fauna and bird strike risk.

“This information would then be released publicly as part of an extensive consultation process,” he said.

“The new facility would be a state-of-the-art regional resource recovery park that would result in minimal material going into landfill, and the maximum being recycled.”