Quarry plans leave a big hole

It was wonderful to see Tonimbuk Equestrian Centre (TAC) in use again over the long weekend.
From all reports, the three-day event was hugely successful as one would expect given the quality of the venue and the hard work done by the organising committee.
It was, though, a reminder to us all of what we have lost.
For over 12 months, TAC has been idle.
Previously it was in use virtually every day of the year either for competition of one discipline or another or by local riders simply improving their skills.
This all stopped when TAC was purchased by Hanson which already owned land adjacent to it.
In 2007 Hanson purchased a plot of land in the name of a pastoral company. In 2008 it admitted that it, in fact, owned it and wished to open a large quarry on the greenfields site.
The company said then that it would have plans complete and ready for lodgment by end of 2009 and that it would regularly update our committee which was formed to represent interests of local residents.
Hanson has still not lodged plans and in all that time has still never initiated contact with our group.
This impasse has, of course, affected residents and businesses in different ways, as uncertainty always does.
There is an impact on business as people are reluctant to spend with such a threat hanging over them.
Property prices are adversely affected, too.
This was illustrated clearly in the case of TAC which was for sale for a long time before the owners had no choice but to sell to Hanson.
Other would-be purchasers were, of course, turned off by the idea that an operator had expressed a desire to open a quarry immediately next door.
If Hanson was to abide by the wishes of the residents of Bunyip North, Tonimbuk and Garfield North and announce that it was going to seek a more appropriate site elsewhere for its quarry we would see TAC re-emerge as a much used facility being safe for pony club events, etc, as was the case until late 2013.
Local residents and businesses as well as the thousands of horse riders who annually used the facility would be very, very grateful.
Lindsay McNaught,
Mt Cannibal and District Preservation Society.