News
18 October, 2026
Community urged to stand united again
Residents of the Southern Highlands are being asked to stand united – again – as legal proceedings relating to the proposed Repoly plastics recycling facility get underway in Moss Vale.
Residents of the Southern Highlands are being asked to stand united – again – as legal proceedings relating to the proposed Repoly plastics recycling facility get underway in Moss Vale.
Repoly is challenging a January 2025 decision by the Independent Planning Commission (IPC) to reject plans for its proposed $70 million facility in the Southern Highlands Innovation Precinct (SHIP).
A Class 1 merits appeal being heard by the Land and Environment Court will commence on-site at 74-76 Becaonsfield Road on Monday, October 19.
The remainder of the 10-day hearing will be held in Sydney.
Southern Highland Matters (SHM) and Reject Repoly are urging local residents to send a clear message to the Land and Environment Commissioner that they stand united on the Repoly proposal by attending the start of proceedings.
They say if one quarter of the people who wrote submissions to the IPC in 2024 objecting to the (then) Plaserefine proposal could attend on Monday, there would be more than 725 people “standing in respectful solidarity” and in full view of the Land and Environment Commissioner who will have final say on the matter.
Residents are asked to arrive at 8.30am in plenty of time for the start of proceedings at 9.30am.
There will be free tea and coffee (as well as flavoured milk for the kids). BYO cups.
Parking will be available at David Baxter’s Moss Vale Museum (68-70 Beaconsfield Road).
Those people attending are reminded that this will be a formal court hearing and – as has been the case previously – they will be expected to conduct themselves exactly as if they were in a courtroom.
That will mean no placards, banners or t-shirts and no chanting or visible demonstrations.
The Land and Environment Court hearing will run until October 30 with the Court’s decision to be issued at a later date.
Court proceedings will be livestreamed.
Wingecarribee Shire Council has advised that it will provide access to the livestream in the Emergency Operations Centreat the Moss Vale Civic Centre from Tuesday (October 20) at 9am for those people without a suitable device or Internet connection.
Several fundraisers have been held in recent months – generously supported by local residents and businesses alike – to help ensure the community has a voice in the legal proceedings.
SHM chairperson Sam Wood is one of only three legal respondents with standing in the Land and Environment Court to challenge the appeal.
The others are the IPC and the Garvan Institute of Medical Research.
Garvan operates the Australian BioResouces facility in Moss Vale, which would be located in close proximity to the proposed Repoly plant.
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