No decision reached on Martins Creek Quarry's expansion plan

More than 150 community members went to a conciliation meeting - an alternate dispute resolution process - to have their voices heard after quarry owner Daracon chose to appeal the Independent Planning Commission's (IPC) ruling that the expansion should not go ahead.

The meeting at Tocal College on March 22 saw representatives from the NSW Land and Environment Court, the Independent Planning Commission (IPC) and Maitland and Dungog councils come together with the community.

Martins Creek Quarry Action Group, which opposes the expansion, was represented by member Brenda Tanner.

Ms Tanner said she believed all of the speakers felt that they were heard by the commissioner, IPC members and the two councils.

"We felt that the presentation was as good as we could do to really give that lived experience, the emotion, the social impact of this whole thing," she said.

"We're hoping that it will be enough to create sufficient doubt that the IPC will uphold the original findings and refuse the application."

The IPC refused the state significant development in February last year due to "significant impacts from the road haulage of quarry products".

Daracon Quarries subsidiary Buttai Gravel had applied to expand the quarry to extract 1.1 million tonnes of material every year for up to 25 years.

Affected residents, businesses and community groups spoke at the meeting.

Paterson Service Station's Robin Burgman and Dungog Regional Tourism and Paterson Historical Society's Dr Cameron Archer were among the speakers. Some of the other people who spoke were Luke Barber, Malcolm Henry, Anne Callaghan and Margaret Ritchie.

Daracon representatives attended the meeting but did not speak to the crowd.

Relevant stakeholders had a confidential meeting afterwards to try to reach an agreement but the NSW Land and Environment Court has confirmed no outcome has been reached.

Daracon chose not to comment after the meeting when contacted by the Chronicle. Before the meeting a Daracon spokeswoman said that they hoped to come to a conclusion in the confidential meeting.

"If common ground can be found then consent can be granted with these issues taken into account," she said.

"This would be the ideal outcome as it would avoid an appeal hearing which will incur time and costs for all parties."

Many of the speakers raised the risks the proposed haulage route poses to the community.