THE long wait for a new waste transfer station for Frankston is almost over.
Frankston Council has signed a contract to buy the previously privately operated waste station in Harold Rd, Skye for $11 million.
Mayor Cr Sandra Mayer said settlement of the purchase is due in July this year with council aiming to open the station in October.
“Two years ago, council gave a commitment to the community that we would provide them with a waste transfer station and we have delivered,” Cr Mayer said.
“It will be a regional facility and council is applying to the state government for funding on this basis.”
The municipality has been without a recycling and waste transfer station since the previous facility on Centenary Park Drive, Frankston was closed in 2010 due to the construction of Peninsula Link.
Frankston residents have been frustrated by the lack of a hard waste rubbish tip and have been forced to travel elsewhere to dispose of waste and recycling materials.
Neighbouring Mornington Peninsula Shire charges Frankston residents more than its ratepayers to dump rubbish at its waste transfer station in Mornington.
A previous commercial waste transfer station at Skye’s Harold Rd run by Skye Sands Pty Ltd, owned by former race car driver Rusty French, was shut down in late 2010.
The site was closed by council after failing to meet permit conditions.
The new waste transfer station at Harold Rd will accept hard waste, recyclable materials, tree branches and prunings. Food waste, asbestos, hazardous liquid and medical waste will not be accepted.
VicRoads will be asked to approve improvements to Ballarto and Harold roads as a condition of the sire purchase by council.
“All councillors are pleased that council can finally offer this service to our residents,” Cr Mayer said.
The mayor said purchase negotiations had been extensive but councillors are “delighted” with the result.
Nearby Skye residents are not so delighted.
The Times understands residents wrote to council in August last year objecting to the re-establishment of a waste transfer station near their homes.
