City of Vincent refuses to budge on conditions for concrete plants Heidelberg Materials, Holcim

The City of Vincent looks set to double down on its refusal to soften and extend timelines on conditions on the approvals of two concrete plants in the Claisebrook precinct, despite a State invitation to reconsider. Heidelberg Materials Australia and Holcim Australia have been operating in Claisebrook for close to 40 years on Edward Street and on Claisebrook Road. In 2024, both companies were granted approval to operate at the sites until December 31, 2027, when they will have to move to new sites, remediate the environment and carry out staged shutdowns. Heidelberg is seeking to start operations at 3am, three hours earlier than the current approval, and to remove requirements for groundwater and soil contamination investigations. Holcim has asked the city to reconsider its remediation obligations and extend decommissioning deadlines to December 31, 2028, at the invitation of the State Administrative Tribunal. But city officers have recommended the council reject the proposed amendments. They said the proposals were “not in the public interest” and would delay future residential developments planned for the sites. The precinct is earmarked for high-density mixed-use development as part of the city’s long-term planning vision and is in line with the State Government’s urban fill agenda. The city has warned that amending the plants’ conditions of approval could delay “vital urban renewal” and make the amenity worse for nearby residents. “The quickest possible relocation of Heidelberg out of Claisebrook in accordance with the existing approvals milestones should be a matter of State importance to assist in the delivery of much-needed housing in an area well located to public transport and adjacent to the Perth CBD.” the report said. “There is a clear public benefit to the sites being cleared of industrial structures and contamination. “The continued operations over approximately 40 years from both Heidelberg and Holcim means that there is the potential for contamination, which would make redevelopment of the sites for residential or other sensitive uses challenging for future developers and could continue to disincentivise redevelopment, including the delivery of housing, in the surrounding area.” The public was invited to comment between May and June, but only one submission was received which strongly opposed both applications. “The increasing of operating hours would result in significant impacts on residential amenity including from noise as well as traffic and dust,” it stated. Concerns were also raised about the potential leftover industrial infrastructure, such as noise walls, site offices and wash-downs to remain in place after the operations close, which would encourage ongoing industrial activity. The council is now thinking about leasing out parts of a site in bought in Mt Claremont it had intended to use as its depot as part of moving the concrete plants out of Claisebrook. The city is scheduled to consider both matters at its July 15 meeting.