County vote clears way for gravel operation on Thames Centre farm

Middlesex County voted unanimously Tuesday in favour of an amendment to the Thames Centre official plan that clears the way for a gravel extraction operation on a farm. 

The plan was opposed by a group of neighbours of the farm located at 20317 Purple Hill Rd. They are concerned that a gravel operation will affect the groundwater of surrounding farms. They're also worried about dust, truck traffic and how the gravel extraction — expected to last up to 15 years — could limit the property's ability to support crops in the future. 

Property owner Newlife Recycling had applied for the amendment to allow gravel extraction and concreate recycling at the 21-hectare (52-acre) farm located between Dundas Street and Evelyn Drive. 

AAROC Aggregates, part of the John Aarts Group, is the proposed licence-holder for the site. 

Country planning staff had recommended that council support the amendment. Thames Centre council approved a motion last spring to re-zone the property from "agricultural" to "extractive industrial."

Thames Centre Deputy Mayor Kelly Elliott, who also sits on Middlesex County council, said that as a licence-holder, AAROC will have to follow strict rules set out by the province. 

Company vows to mitigate concerns

A report to council prepared by landscape architect Harrington McAvan for AAROC said the company plans to follow provincial guidelines during extraction, and rehabilitate the property afterward.