Pan Pacific Aggregates' (PPA) purchase of private property in Wood Bay was finalized Monday. The company intends to transport industrial minerals and construction aggregates through the property via conveyor onto a proposed ship loading facility, pending government approvals.
The former owner of the 1.5-hectare property said he didn't know he was selling to a mining company until he received a deposit cheque from Pan Pacific. He unsuccessfully offered to give back the deposit and cancel the sale.
"I don't like it all but I can't do anything about it. Once we've accepted their terms, we don't have any choice of cancelling," Martyn Fowlds said. "We've spent a lot of time, effort and money here making this into a beautiful property and it's just too bad it couldn't go to somebody who was going to enjoy it."
Pan Pacific president Alan Whitehead said the property owner should have known he was selling to Pan Pacific.
"It's been public knowledge for many months that Pan Pacific was looking to acquire the property; we've been very open about that," Whitehead said.
Pan Pacific's cash payment of $1.9 million for the property was funded through RAB Capital, according to a July 12 Pan Pacific press release. RAB Capital is a European fund management and investment firm. Pan Pacific went public on the London Stock Exchange last December.
The Wood Bay site is part of Pan Pacific's larger application for a mining operation in the Caren Range the company plans to submit to the province's Environmental Assessment Office and Ministry of Energy and Mines for approval.
Two days before the real estate sale closed, the public demonstrated against the Wood Bay conveyor and loading facility at a boat rally. Approximately 120 boats, ranging in size from kayaks to yachts, braved the rough weather to form a circle in front of the bay. People on foot lined Hwy. 101 looking out over the bay to add their support to the rally.
According to Whitehead, Pan Pacific is continuing to look at different locations and designs for the facility at the Wood Bay property, for example, evaluating a floating rather than a fixed dock. Whitehead expects the studies, including dive surveys, visual studies and acoustic studies, to be complete at the end of August, at which time it would be presented to the public.
The loading facility would be around the corner from Wood Bay, on the other side of the portion of property jutting out and on the other side of the islet. The islet is unzoned Crown land falling under the jurisdiction of the Gambier Island Local Trust Committee, according to Islands Trust council chair Kim Benson. The Islands Trust has not received any applications from Pan Pacific. If it does, the council would refer to its policy statement, which requires that no development occur within 300 metres of an island or islet in the Trust area, according to Benson.
The Islands Trust Act was set up to preserve and protect the unique environment and amenities of the trust area, including the land and waters within the trust area, Benson said. "It would stand to reason that [the Act] was set up to create a level of protection, especially on these small and vulnerable islets," Benson added.
However, she noted the provincial government could override local government authority if it so chooses.
The local trust committee has a protocol agreement to co-operate and communicate with the Sunshine Coast Regional District on areas of mutual interest, so the two local governments would work together if and when a rezoning application came in.
