A Lavington gravel pit is digging for support for further extraction.
Coldstream Ranch’s Rosebush pit is applying to the Agricultural Land Commission to extend extraction closer to Buchanan Road, which is the final phase in the extraction and reclamation plan.
Gravel removal is planned from October to April, with reclamation to follow.
“Quite a lot of phase four will be completed with topsoil by the fall of 2015,” said Ted Osborn, Coldstream Ranch’s director of projects.
Osborn adds that reclamation of a significant part of phase three could be completed by the fall of 2016, with the entire area reclaimed by the fall of 2017.
“The reclamation of phase two and three will depend on the rate of sales of the processed aggregate.”
Although the municipality has agreed to forward the ranch’s application to the ALC, with several conditions, there are some concerns about the proximity of work to neighbouring residents.
“This brings it to within 15 metres of the road,” said Coun. Maria Besso, the lone opposition to the application.
Osborn says a berm of gravel will be created to help block noise and dust.
He also says timing of the work will not disturb as many people.
“The time from October to April is the time when people are not outside their houses as often.”
Meanwhile, Coun. Peter McClean is pleased to see an end date on the extraction and reclamation, which was up in the air during phase three.
“We’re now getting, for phase four, a completion date and that was a concern before,” said McClean.
Osborn says: “In the past, it’s been very slow moving but since it’s getting shallower and shallower we’re moving much quicker.”
The application still needs ALC approval before phase four extraction can start.
