Yarra Ranges Council last week claimed victory announcing the facility run by Australian Native Landscapes had been shut down after VCAT cancelled its planning permit on Friday, 26 August.
But while the council and affected residents of Coldstream and Lilydale are celebrating what they say has been a hard-earned reprieve from the foul odours coming from the site, ANL owner Patrick Soars hit back accusing the council of not telling its ratepayers the full story.
“They should be asking the council 'at what cost to them?',” he said.
Yarra Ranges councillor Tim Heenan, who spearheaded the council's fight to have the operation closed, said VCAT had cancelled ANL's permit following a meeting between the council, the Environment Protection Authority, residents and ANL.
Mr Soars said ANL had agreed to surrender all approvals and licences “as a result of contractual settlement reached between Metropolitan Waste Management Group, Yarra Ranges Council and ANL.”
Mr Soars said under the settlement he was not allowed to divulge any amounts of money paid.
“Contractual settlement usually means someone has paid someone,” he said.
Yarra Ranges director of planning, Andrew Paxton said he could not comment on any contractual agreement either, but said “Yarra Ranges Council had acted on best faith to Yarra Ranges residents to reduce any ongoing costs.”
“Yarra Ranges Council has no further costs in defending what has been a very ugly issue for a long time,” he said.
Mr Paxton said he could not comment on who paid what to whom in terms of any contractual settlement reach last Friday week, but did say the main sticking point was the contract between Metropolitan Waste Management and ANL for the supply of green waste.
“Once that was resolved through a settlement, everyone agreed as part of that, that all permits would be cancelled.”
Cr Heenan said in relation to the final outcome residents would now be able to enjoy the outdoors without fear of foul odours, now or in the future.
“There is no further appeal and any future applications for the site would revert back to the original zone which is green wedge,” he said.
“Finally we have a conclusion for this issue.”
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