1909
VOL. 116
NO. 24
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WEDNESDAY JULY 3, 2024
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PRICE $1.70 INC GST
New beginnings for gallery site • Springfield’s Scott and Fiona Auton with children Hamish, Cameron and Eliza Auton are transforming the former Scottsdale Art Gallery into The House Paddock. T SEE PAGE 4 FOR FULL STORY.
Mill expansion plan BY RACHEL WILLIAMS THE PRODUCTION rate at Branxholm sawmill is set to more than double if a $15 million project gets off the ground. Dorset Council has received a development application for CMTP’s Warrentinna Rd mill, to increase production from 20,000 cubic metres up to 50,000 cubic metres per annum. General Manager Tasmania Dale Jessup said a building extension was proposed to house a new profiling gang saw, which would “complete all the second pass processing effectively doubling the production rate”. “CMTP is committed to being a major employer in the Dorset region, this upgrade will allow us to remain competitive, grow employment and other economic activity,” Mr Jessup said.
“Currently there are only two sawmills in Tasmania cutting any significant volume of softwood logs, one being the Timberlink Bell Bay Sawmill and the other is the CMTP Branxholm Sawmill. “Both mills are operating at full capacity, however domestic timber demand continues to grow. Additional log volume is available via a long-term log contract with these logs currently being exported to Asia. “An upgrade will create a market for domestic pine logs in Tasmania and displace imported timber.” The business hopes to have a permit for the project by December but whether it proceeds depends on two things. “Whilst the building work is valued just over $500,000 the total upgrade project cost, including new machinery and power
upgrade, will be in the order of $15m,” Mr Jessup said. “Despite CMTP working on the expansion plans for three years to date, the project still needs financial approval by the CMTP board. “Given the high cost of sawmill equipment and the low exchange rate it is unlikely the project will proceed unless additional government funding can be secured due to the increase in project costs since the pandemic.” The development application is open for public submissions until July 13. Mr Jessup said the only environmental impact for the local community he could see was an increase in traffic. The DA states that with an annual log supply of 89,285 tonnes, 47.7 total truck movements a day would occur at the site. The report said log truck and delivery
truck movements would increase from the current average of five per hour to a total of eight per operating hour. The sawmill operates under an Environmental Protection Notice which restricts mill operating hours from 7am-6pm Monday to Saturday, and those times would remain unchanged. “Operating hours do not need to increase, in fact in periods of reduced demand the sawmill will run reduced hours due to higher capacity,” he said. “The new building will have soundproofing material installed around the walls to control the noise emitted from the sawmill… and we will remain within our permitted site noise limits. “CMTP have also committed to undertake a full new noise survey on completion of the upgrade.”
Simon Wood Liberal Member for Bass
t s a E h t r o N e h t r o f g in Work Authorised by Simon Wood, 139A Hobart Road, Kings Meadows