Rezone Council land and approve DA for the expansion of waste operations

Project: Rezoning of Council land and approval of a Development Application for the expansion of waste operations at the Brou Waste Management Facility.

Timeframe: July 2021 to June 2025

Status: In progress

Cost and funding: Council received $1,060,000 in grant funding for the approved project from the NSW Environment Protection Authority (EPA) under the Bushfire Recovery Program for Council Landfills.

Page last updated: August 2024

Project details

Council is working to:

  • prepare and submit a planning proposal to rezone Council-owned land adjacent to the existing waste facility at Brou
  • obtain the necessary planning and development approval to enable the construction and completion of a future landfill cell.

Benefits to the community:

  • ensuring that Council can continue to meet current operational requirements and continuity of waste services
  • safeguarding future long-term waste disposal for the Eurobodalla community
  • improvement to Council's natural disaster preparedness and resilience.

After the 2019/20 bushfires, a significant amount of bushfire waste was disposed of at the Brou Waste Management Facility. This resulted in reduced capacity at this waste facility. Because of this, Council requires an alternative waste solution at least three years earlier than anticipated.

To enable the site's expansion, Council will:

  • carry out required investigations and submit a planning proposal to rezone Council-owned land adjacent to the existing waste facility
  • concurrently submit a Development Application (DA) for a new landfill cell and associated works, which include:
    • leachate and sediment management controls
    • landfill gas capture and flaring infrastructure
    • required roads and entry/access points
    • relocation and/or upgrading of associated infrastructure, eg, pump houses, sheds etc.

Background

  • Before the 2019/20 bushfires, the estimated remaining capacity of the Brou Waste Management Facility was eight years. This equates to approximately 60,000 m3 of airspace.
  • After the 2019/20 bushfires, an estimated 22,000 m3 of landfill space was consumed with bushfire-generated waste. This equates to a reduction of an estimated three years of land-filling life.

This reduced capacity means the project is now required much sooner. As a result of the loss of airspace, Council has started the planning and development process earlier, by at least three years. Council must complete these important planning steps as soon as practical. This will ensure that the proposed new cell can be constructed and commissioned before closing the existing cell.

This project also involves submitting a planning proposal to rezone Council-owned land next to the existing waste facility to enable its expansion.

  • The existing waste management facility is on Council land.
  • The current operational area is zoned SP2, which allows for use of the land as a waste depot.
  • The surrounding land (within the same parcel) is zoned RU3, which prohibits the land being used for the purposes of a waste facility.

To expand the existing landfilling operations to enable the use of the surrounding land, the land zoned RU3 needs to be rezoned. This is required before the DA is submitted/approved for the expansion of the waste facility.

Project updates

Here's a summary of activities that have taken place so far:

June 2024 - August 2024

  • Council received the Gateway Determination from the Department of Planning, Housing, and Infrastructure on 15 August 2024.
  • Council carried out a quote process to select the Environmental Impact Statement (EIS) project management consultant.
  • Council selected the preferred conceptual design for the landfill expansion.

August 2023 - June 2024

  • Umwelt (Australia) Pty Limited has submitted the finalised Biodiversity Assessment Report to Council.
  • Council and the Department of Public works have prepared the Planning Proposal report. We have obtained Council's endorsement and submitted the Planning Proposal to the NSW government for Gateway Determination.
  • We have engaged Talis Consultants to design the waste facility, and conceptual design has begun.

January 2023 - July 2023

  • Lantern Heritage Pty Ltd have completed the Aboriginal Due Diligence Assessment and Cultural Heritage Assessment and have submitted these to Council.
  • Umwelt (Australia) Pty Limited has completed the final Biodiversity Constraints and Options Assessment and submitted these to Council.
  • Council has consulted with NSW Biodiversity Conservation Department.

December 2022

  • Umwelt (Australia) Pty Limited is carrying out biodiversity assessment fieldwork, including fauna and flora surveys.
  • Lantern Heritage Pty Ltd is progressing with the Aboriginal Cultural Heritage Assessment Report and the associated Aboriginal Cultural Heritage Management Plan.
  • Tetra Tech Coffey completed the Geotechnical Investigations report and submitted it to Council.

November 2022

  • Tetra Tech Coffey completed the Geotechnical Investigation Report. The findings will be considered in any foundation design, earthworks and construction works carried out in line with applicable standards and industry guidelines.
  • Umwelt (Australia) Pty Limited is continuing with biodiversity assessment fieldwork, including fauna and flora surveys.
  • Lantern Heritage Pty Ltd provided the draft Aboriginal Cultural Heritage Assessment Report to Council. In summary, (pending final review):
    • An Aboriginal Heritage Impact Permit (AHIP) is not required.
    • Works can proceed with caution/due diligence with reporting requirements advised, should any objects of cultural significance be identified.

October 2022

  • Tetra Tech Coffey provided the draft Geotechnical Investigation Report to Council. There were no findings that would limit the construction of infrastructure in the relevant areas assessed.
  • Lantern Heritage Pty Ltd is conducting Aboriginal cultural heritage assessment fieldwork with Registered Aboriginal Persons (RAPs) attending, monitoring, and advising on any potential or necessary ground disturbance.
  • Umwelt (Australia) Pty Limited is continuing with biodiversity assessment fieldwork, including fauna and flora surveys.

September 2022

  • Tetra Tech Coffey are conducting laboratory testing and reviewing geotech samples to prepare the draft Geotech Report.
  • Umwelt (Australia) Pty Limited is continuing with biodiversity assessment fieldwork, including fauna and flora surveys.

August 2022

  • Tetra Tech Coffey completed the geotechnical investigations and fieldwork without any complications or issues.
  • Umwelt (Australia) Pty Limited is continuing with biodiversity assessment fieldwork, including fauna and flora surveys.
  • Lantern Heritage Pty Ltd is continuing with due diligence investigations and assessments. No culturally significant findings to date.

July 2022

  • Umwelt (Australia) Pty Limited is continuing with biodiversity assessment fieldwork, including fauna and flora surveys. The initial observations and findings indicate that further investigations will need to occur to factor in seasonality and migratory species. This will ensure that all known or potential biodiversity risks and constraints are assessed and addressed. This will impact upon the completion timeframes.
  • Lantern Heritage Pty Ltd completed a due diligence assessment. This assessment indicated that there are landforms and archaeologically significant sites that could potentially contain Aboriginal objects or artifacts, within the study area. Lantern Heritage will need to carry out further due diligence investigations and prepare an Aboriginal Cultural Heritage Assessment Report.

June 2022

  • Council appointed Tetra Tech Coffey to carry out geotechnical investigations.
  • Umwelt (Australia) Pty Limited provided a biodiversity constraints assessment to Council. The assessment indicated that there will be a need for various targeted flora and fauna surveys in the coming months to assess the potential occurrence of vulnerable, endangered, or critically endangered species of fauna and flora.
  • Umwelt (Australia) Pty Limited is progressing with biodiversity assessments and associated fieldwork.
  • Lantern Heritage Pty Ltd is progressing with the Aboriginal cultural heritage assessment.

May 2022

  • NSW Public Works Advisory reviewed and investigated detailed DA requirements.
  • Umwelt (Australia) Pty Limited commenced the biodiversity assessments.
  • Lantern Heritage Pty Ltd commenced the Aboriginal cultural heritage assessment.

April 2022

  • Council appointed Umwelt (Australia) Pty Limited to perform the biodiversity assessments.
  • Council appointed Lantern Heritage Pty Ltd to perform the Aboriginal cultural heritage assessment.

March 2022

  • NSW Public Works Advisory released the following tenders on Tenderlink:
    • biodiversity assessment
    • Aboriginal cultural heritage assessment
    • geotechnical investigations.

February 2022

  • Council prepared and submitted the Project Plan to the EPA.

December 2021

  • The EPA executed the Deed of Funding for the approved project.

July 2021

  • Council applied for grant funding from the EPA under the Bushfire Recovery Program for Council Landfills.

More information

For more information, please contact Council's Divisional Manager Waste Services, Nathan Ladmore, on: