Ann: Bowdens Silver Project Appeal Proceedings Outcome, page-4

MEDIA RELEASE - 16 August 2024

Controversial Bowdens lead mine at Mudgee dead in the water

The NSW Court of Appeal today overturned the development consent of the controversial Bowdens lead, zinc and silver mine at Lue near Mudgee in Central West NSW.

The original development consent was granted by the NSW Independent Planning Commission on 3 April 2023 to the ASX listed junior Silver Mines Limited, for its Bowdens project. That approval is now void, and the company is restrained from carrying out any work under the approval.

Bingman Catchment Landcare group is pleased to have been successful in the NSW Court of Appeal. A spokesperson for the Mudgee Region Action Group, a subcommittee of Bingman Landcare said:

“The judgment confirms our view that for many reasons, this project should have never been given the tick of approval.

“Not only is it ridiculous that a huge open cut lead mine would be approved just two kilometres from a primary school and township, and in the middle of the leading tourism and agricultural Mudgee region, but it’s even more ridiculous that it would be given approval without ever explaining how it would power the mine site.

“Approving this mine based on the incomplete and inadequate EIS submitted by the proponent in the first place was an egregious error by the planning and approvals authorities.”

“While we’re delighted with the decision in the NSW Court of Appeal today, we can’t help but feel that it shouldn’t fall to community groups like ours to have to spend the time and money we do to hold the Department of Planning and the NSW IPC to account.”

“The NSW planning legislation for state significant developments is clearly not working and it needs to be fixed.”

“To our local government, the Mid-Western Regional Council, we say that now is the time to get on the right side of history. We think the Bowdens project was always a bad idea, and today is just one example of how the assessments it went through to get initial approval were incomplete and it’s time to knock it on the head. Stand up and say no, we don’t want a lead mine in Mudgee.”

“We have no confidence in the NSW Department of Planning, the IPC nor the EPA, and neither should you.”

“To the NSW state government, we’re saying now is the time to fix the NSW planning legislation. We’re not the first community and we won’t be the last to have been taken for a ride by the NSW planning department and IPC, and it must change.”

“Neither lead, zinc nor silver appear on the Federal Government's list of critical minerals. We don’t need these minerals, and the environmental, social and economic impacts of this project are significant and permanent. Any fresh assessment of the project needs to give adequate weight to these factors.” ENDS