Questions were raised about the Fawkner toxic site in McBryde street at Moreland’s August Council meeting regarding EPA site testing, environmental audits, testing the footpath, and whether all information was provided to planning application objectors. A report on these questions will be presented at the September Council meeting.
The following motion was passed unanimously by all Councillors present:
That in the event that the report to the Urban Planning Committee does not deal with the below matters, that Council receives a report by the September meeting which includes the following information regarding the toxic site at 102 McBryde St Fawkner:
- Has the Environmental Protection Authority provided council with a reason as to why it hasn’t tested underneath the clay cap on the site of 102 McBryde St, Fawkner, given that the council notice of motion from 12 April called for an “EPA-initiated independent environmental audit of the contaminated sites at 102 and 100 McBryde St Fawkner”? If a reason has been provided, what is the reason.
- Why the developer provided council with a non-statutory environmental audit instead of a statutory environmental audit of the site, given the history of toxicity on the site, and given that non-statutory audits aren’t governed by the same legal provisions and requirements as statutory audits therefor aren’t required to be public.
- Whether there has ever been any testing for the level of toxicity of the soil under the footpath in front of 102 McBryde St and if not, whether council intends to test the footpath for toxicity prior to and decision on the planning application now that the developer intends to dig a trench to connect to sewerage along the footpath.
- When the second Edge Group report titled “Limited Phase 1 and Phase 2 Environmental Site Assessment” was lodged with council and whether it was provided to potential objectors and objectors to the current planning application for the site.
Sustainable Fawkner 