Page 4444 - Week 14 - Thursday, 28 November 2013

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Draft variation 305 was released for public comment from 15 February to 5 April this year. It attracted three public submissions. The main issues raised in the submissions related to: the need to consider an alternative location for a landfill facility; potential visual impacts; traffic and transport impacts; the need for waste reduction and management; potential environmental impacts, including changes to bird and wildlife activities which may impact on aircraft operations, potential impacts on groundwater, local run-off and drainage, and impacts on yellow box-red gum grassy woodland; the proposed offset strategy for that woodland; and rehabilitation of the landfill site and future long-term use.

These are mostly environmental concerns and are not unexpected. A key consideration of any proposal for landfill is to ensure that potential environmental impacts can be minimised and managed. For this reason the draft environmental impact statement was prepared by the proponent and used to inform the public release version of DV305. The EIS has been revised in response to the agency and public comments. All outstanding environmental issues can be dealt with in finalising the EIS and at the detailed design stage as part of a future development application, which will be subject to further assessment by the Planning and Land Authority.

Consultation with ACT government agencies and the NCA did not reveal any adverse issues relating to the variation. A report on consultation was prepared by ESDD, responding in full to the issues raised during public and agency consultation, and accordingly no changes were made to the draft variation as a result of public consultation.

Under section 73 of the Planning and Development Act I have chosen to exercise my discretion and not refer the draft variation to the Legislative Assembly Standing Committee on Planning, Environment and Territory and Municipal Services, as I believe all concerns raised have been adequately addressed in the report on consultation. The remaining environmental issues can be resolved through the environmental assessment and development approval processes. I am pleased to table the approved variation in the Assembly.

Paper

Mr Corbell presented the following papers:

Planning and Development Act, pursuant to subsection 242(2)—Schedule of Leases Granted—1 April to 30 June 2013—Corrigendum.

Paper—out-of-order petition

Mr Corbell presented the following paper:

Petition which does not conform with the standing orders—Women’s Information and Referral Centre—Mrs Jones (690 signatures).


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