THE City of Greater Bendigo is likely to ask the Victorian Civil and Administrative Tribunal to reject Hopley Recycling’s application to temporarily use the former White Hills tip site for its industrial waste.

Council officers recommended advising VCAT it did not support the company’s application on grounds that there is “not yet conclusive evidence” of the site’s suitability and there is no rehabilitation plan.

VCAT gave Hopley Recycling until June 1 this year to remove all industrial waste from the former White Hills tip site on Powells Road, but the company missed the deadline.

The company made the temporary use application on August 8 last year which VCAT will consider in October.

The date for the removal of the industrial waste was extended until October to allow the hearing to take place, after Hopley Recycling applied for more time.

Should the application be rejected in October, another short-term deadline date could be set for Hopley Recycling to remove the waste.

In the report to council, City of Greater Bendigo director planning and development Prue Mansfield wrote council was still unsure whether the tip site appropriate for storing industrial waste.

“The most recent advice from the city’s waste services manager is the site assessment work may not be complete until May 2016,” she said.

“Approval of a use – even on a temporary basis – is premature until council is satisfied the site conditions are appropriate for the use.

“The risk of VCAT issuing a temporary permit, that based on evidence to date, is likely not to be honoured in a timely way without requiring further formal action.”

Hundreds of tonnes of industrial waste remain on the Crown Land, where Hopley Recycling established a functioning storage area including its own tracks for vehicles.

The company did not have the required permits to use the site.

City of Greater Bendigo councillors will consider its response to the application at Wednesday night’s ordinary meeting of council.