THE Lucky Bay export facility proposal includes planning for a 60,000-tonne silo and grain receival terminal on-site, plus a 500,000t bunker site nearby.
Other infrastructure plans include a loading dock, conveyor system, weighbridge, sampling/testing site, drive-over hoppers for road trains, and a distribution shed.
The $20 million spent on the port development so far has included expanding and deepening the harbour, building loading docks for the transhipping vessels and hardstand areas for storage.
Once the harbour construction is finished, work will begin on grain storage infrastructure, which is expected to cost upwards of $50m.
“Once the grain partner is announced, we will finalise the grain infrastructure proposal then lodge that with the local council for development approvals,” Sea Transport Developments SA manager Mark Cant said.
District Council of Franklin Harbour chief executive officer Chris Smith said the local council fully supported the development, saying the new port would create employment in the area.
“The council has contributed $2m through a federal Regional Development Australia grant, which went to the physical construction of the harbour,” he said.
Mr Smith was unaware of any community backlash, as public consultation had been “adequately supported”.
“The community is generally supportive of any local development of this nature, particularly our farmers who will be beneficiaries of the new port,” he said