A site along Greghamstown Road, north of the Nestle Purina Petcare factory, could have up to 250,000 tonnes of earth mined a year for road construction materials, with crushing and screening to occur on-site.

The quarry has been proposed by helicopter pilot Ben Volkovsky, who owns the land and uses it for agricultural purposes.

His proposal submitted to council claimed the project would create “between one and three full-time jobs”, as well flow-on effects to the community.

Under the plan, the project would initially use “rip, push, load and haul” techniques for shallower material in the earlier stages of the quarry, while “conventional drill and blast techniques” would be used for deeper material.

Up to 10 blasts per year have been proposed. 

The suggested hours would be from 7am to 5pm Monday to Friday, and 8am to noon on Saturdays, but the proposal said “no residence” would expect to receive noise emissions higher than the 40 decibel limit for residential areas, while noise levels at the Purina factory would be below the commercial threshold. 

The site is along Greghamstown Road, across the tracks from Purina facility, but would receive road access for “a number” of trucks to the Mid Western Highway via Marshalls Lane.

MAP: The site of the proposed quarry

The proposal said it expected a maximum of 60 laden trucks per day along Marshalls Lane, and proffered to upgrade the four-way intersection between Marshalls Lane, Lowe Street and the haul road which would access the quarry site.  

The proposal said there were no air quality, biodiversity, heritage, water or soil concerns arising from the project. 

The extracted resources will be used to create “a range of products for the road maintenance and construction industry”. 

Mr Volkovsky proposed to “negotiate a commercial agreement with a suitably qualified and experienced quarry operator to operate and manage the proposal”. 

The proposal approximated a $130,000 yearly benefit to the Blayney economy, with “indirect contributions” from wages to contract drivers and fees to local suppliers, while also paying a maintenance fee for increased truck patronage on Marshalls Lane. 

The plans will be on display at Blayney Shire Council offices until December 2, but the decision to allow the proposal lies with the Western Joint Regional Planning Panel. 

Contact council on council@blayney.nsw.gov.au, with all submissions to be passed on to the Western Joint Regional Planning Panel.