Town Planning Report - Expansion to Noosa Landfill

“Specialist services and practical solutions”



       Executive Summary

       The proposal seeks to change the current development approval to allow for an expansion of
       the existing landfill operation over a vegetated area of the site that is already bounded by the
       landfill on three (3) sides. This land protrudes into the existing Resource Recovery Area (RRA)
       and contains remanent vegetation.

       The subject land has an area of about 1ha. When compared to the size of the existing landfill
       facility and the amount of vegetated land remaining (Lot 77) as a whole, the proposed
       expansion is over a relatively small portion (0.3% of Lot 77). It is also important that most of
       the Lot 77 is included within the Community Facilities Zone (annotated Utility Installation),
       which stems from superseded planning schemes and the 1997 Strategic Plan that designated
       all this land for landfill. Consequently, despite the current environmental overlays and
       designations, the land has been historically zoned and intended for landfill.

       The key issues to be considered are summarised below:

           •    Community need - Council has the expectation and responsibility to provide an
                adequate waste service for the shire. With the region is growing, so is the volume of
                waste being produced. Expansion of the RRA is critical to provide sufficient space for
                Council to meet waste deferral expectations and the communities need.

           •    Safety Improvements - Council has a duty of care to provide a safe work environment
                for staff, contractors and the public using the landfill. Expansion of the RRA is critical
                to offer sufficient space for Council to manage safety risks and provide a safe work
                environment within the RRA.

           •    Environmental impacts - Council must operate the landfill under the Environmental
                Authority (EA) permit (EPPR01855314) for the site. Council has a general environmental
                duty and is obligated under the Environmental Protection Act 1994, to take all
                reasonable measures to prevent environmental harm. Expansion of the RRA is critical
                to enable the relocation and upgrade of the sites northern High Efficiency Sediment
                (HES) Basin, so that Council can achieve compliance with the sites EA and the
                Environmental Protection Act 1994.

       To the extent there is any inconsistency with the planning scheme, this is minor and of a
       technical nature only in the circumstances. Further, there is an overwhelming need for the
       proposed expansion of the landfill for the following reasons:

           •    There is no other land within Lot 77 that can be used for this purpose in the
                circumstances, given the location of the existing infrastructure.

           •    The operation of the existing landfill is to be aligned with the regional waste plan, with
                the management of waste being a critical issue given the ever-increasing population
                growth.




       22019 – Noosa Council Expansion of Landfill, November 2023                           Page 6