Statement regarding Lang Lang SERA and Lang Lang bypass

“Cardinia Shire Council is disappointed with statements made by the Member for Bass, Jordan Crugnale, regarding Council’s advocacy for the Lang Lang bypass.

“Council has enjoyed being part of productive conversations with State Government departments in recent years in an effort to progress plans for the bypass, and we remain committed to working together to make this project a reality.

“Council is committed to playing its role in supporting the State Government's housing agenda, and understands the importance of Strategic Extractive Resource Areas (SERA), including the Lang Lang SERA, in providing resources to enable the building of new homes.

“We acknowledge that the State Government has approved an expansion of the Lang Lang SERA to allow more sand quarry activity in the Lang Lang area.

“Council made a detailed submission to the Department of Transport and Planning in December 2024, highlighting our concerns around impacts on the environment and community safety, particularly in relation to expansion of quarry activities without a dedicated route for trucks to take.

“We were pleased to see a few of our recommendations supported through the Amendment, including the removal of SRO1 between the between South Gippsland Highway and Western Port Bay. However, our concerns around the need for a bypass were not addressed.

“While Council supports the role that quarries play in the local economy and in the wider construction sector, heavy vehicles significantly impact the amenity and safety of Lang Lang’s main streets, with an average of 50 trucks an hour passing through.

“Council remains committed to advocating for what our community needs and deserves. We’re already playing our part by acquiring the land for the bypass. The route will connect current and future quarries to the South Gippsland Highway so trucks can travel directly to Melbourne.

“This is an expensive project estimated to cost around $57 million, which Council should not be expected to cover alone. To date, Council has received less than 2 per cent of the estimated construction costs from the quarry operators, which is nowhere near enough for a project of this scale. Funding from both the State and Federal Governments will be critical to build the bypass and provide a safe environment for both road users and the local Lang Lang community.

“Given the State's recent gazettal of the Lang Lang SERA and the significant increase in trucks that will be passing through Lang Lang once extraction activities increase, it is even more critical that this project gets delivered.

“Given the bypass would service sand trucks travelling from surrounding regions including South Gippsland and Bass Coast Shires, it is appropriate for the State Government to provide funding.”