Boyanup family raises concerns about Skippings Road sand mine proposal as JDAP reconsiders 2023 decision

A Boyanup family has raised concerns about the impact a sand mine proposed 136m away from their home could have on their wellbeing, with the fate of the development to be decided next week. The Regional Joint Development Assessment Panel will meet on Tuesday to determine whether BCP Materials’ $3.55m plan to mine sand from a property on Skippings Road will be given the green light. JDAP knocked back the original plans 3-2 in August last year, but BCP took the matter to the State Administrative Tribunal where it had been under mediation before being brought back to the panel. BCP has made changes to its plans as a result of the mediation, reducing the size of the mining area from 13.23ha to 12.78ha and increasing setbacks to neighbouring properties. The Shire of Capel has recommended the plans now be approved, but neighbouring resident Bob Horsfall is still concerned. Four members of his family suffer from asthma which could be impacted by sand carried by wind flows, while noise from the development could affect his horse breeding business and his grandchildren who homeschool on the property. The family home is located just 136m away from the edge of the proposed mining area, with a bund to be built 20m away from the property boundary. “They have put this within 25m of our only drinking water on the property,” he said. “This is high quality silica sand. Once it becomes airborne, you have got the problem with silicosis and you end up with a crazy situation where the people working on one side of the fence are in PPE gear but it leaves us 24/7 to breathe the silica dust.” Mr Horsfall said he and others had been left in the dark on the changed proposal and the JDAP meeting, which has now been delayed twice due to administrative errors by the Development Assessment Panel’s secretariat and the Shire of Capel. A spokesperson for the Department of Planning, Lands and Heritage said JDAP meetings are open to the public and recently introduced planning reforms require them to now be live streamed. “Consultation and advertising of DAP applications is the responsibility of the relevant local government and there is nothing in the DAP regulations prohibiting members of the public speaking to the relevant local government,” the spokesperson said.