Page 270 - Week 01 - Thursday, 9 December 2004
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further direction on the form and content of the PER in accordance with the requirements of section 120 and 123 (2) of the land act.
The main issues requiring further assessment related to the proposals for the potable water supply, sewage disposal and bushfire management. In addition, the proponent was directed to provide further information on issues relating to waste management, transport, site contamination, energy use, social and economic impacts and ecological impacts. The proponent was directed to undertake a hydrogeotechnical assessment to demonstrate that the soil conditions and block sizes could accommodate all the proposed water cycle practices. Of particular concern was the quantity and quality of any discharge to Tarpaulin Creek, which drains directly into the Murrumbidgee River.
The proponent engaged GHD Pty Ltd to undertake the hydrogeotechnical investigation and the assessment of ecological impacts, including weed management. Coffey Geosciences Pty Ltd was engaged to undertake an environmental site assessment that included analysis of site contamination and recommended remediation.
The PER has revealed several issues that will require further consideration at the development application stage and I have made several recommendations in this regard. These relate to the treatment of rainwater for a potable water supply, the precise sewage disposal system to be installed, site remediation, waste management and the management of bushfires and ecological impacts. None of these issues is insurmountable, but they require further technical investigation and analysis.
A number of options have been identified and it will be the responsibility of the developer who will be appointed by the Land Development Agency to undertake this further work. I have recommended that all issues must be resolved to the satisfaction of the relevant government agencies as part of the development approval processes.
In the meantime, the PER has provided sufficient information to enable the proposed variation to the territory plan to proceed to the statutory approval process. I will now refer the variation to the planning and environment committee of the Assembly for their advice and recommendation. In due course, of course, the committee will table its report in the Assembly for members to consider.
The PER and evaluation report will now be placed on public exhibition. They will be available from Monday, 13 December for a two-week period at ACT government shopfronts and libraries and on the ACT Planning and Land Authority’s website. Notices have been placed in the legislation register and in the Canberra Times. In my opinion, the public environment report has been prepared in accordance with division 4.3 of part 4 of the land act and with the relevant directions under this division.
With the tabling of the public environment report, the government will proceed to place before the Legislative Assembly the statutory planning changes required under the territory plan in the near future. The shaping our territory implementation group will also work to obtain the National Capital Authority’s approval to the development control plan. This is a key step in completing statutory planning requirements for Uriarra Village. It is anticipated that this approval will be obtained before Christmas.
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