At its monthly ordinary meeting council passed a motion recommending the mill’s owner, Allen Taylor and Co. provide planning actions that would see the mill comply with a development approval issued in 1991.

The details, including timeframes, will be handed over to council’s general manager Keith O’Leary, who will make a final decision on the proposal.

If the application goes ahead it will mean an increase of the plant’s woodchip cap from 91,000 tonnes a year to 150,000. In her address to council, president of the Great Lakes Environment Association, Jacqui Keats said it was irresponsible of council to support a practice that is unsustainable and degrading local environments.

“With a 60 per cent proposed increase to water used by the mill no-one seems to be hearing alarm bells and what about sediment runoff?” she said.

“We are disgusted that Cr [Linda] Gill’s motion was not carried. Woodchipping native forests is not the way of the future. Report after report has said it should be soft wood.”

In response, Allen Taylor and Co representative Steve Bowers said the water increase was a one-off procedure.

“The water level is on a loop system going around and around so it’s not as if extra water is coming in every day.”

Among council’s conditions, the mill has been ordered to construct a “concrete pavement” at the mill’s driveway turnoff on Pindimar Rd.

“People in the area are prepared to live with an increase in the mill’s production but they are worried about road and safety issues that may result,” Cr Len Roberts said.

The company is expected to return details of its planning actions to council within three months.