2020-08-11 Planning & Environment Committee Agenda

PLANNING & ENVIRONMENT COMMITTEE MEETING AGENDA                                  11 AUGUST 2020


of the lagoon/wave pool proposed on the site, and as such, the accuracy of the data cannot be
verified. The report states:
      The blower source noise data was extracted from a report prepared for a wave lagoon
      (believed to be of similar size) at Palm Springs, California.
      To be able to operate the wave lagoon from 0500 to 2200 hours daily, based on the source
      noise data available to the consultant at the time of preparing this report, all plant and
      equipment must be located inside a concrete structure (or equivalent) with a minimum Rw
      50. Whilst it is most likely that the wave lagoon will only be used during daylight hours, this
      could be as early as 0500 hours in the summer. There is also a small likelihood that the
      wave lagoon could be used during the evening, up to 2200 hours.
It is noted that the noise report has been produced based on information for a lagoon/wave pool
‘believed to be of a similar size’ as the proposal, and as such, is not specific to the pumps that
will be used for the proposal. In addition, the report states that in order to comply with noise
levels for the locality, the plant and equipment will need to be located inside a concrete structure.
The proposal suggests the pump house will be in the ground to a depth of 5m, requiring
excavation within an environmentally sensitive area.
Council’s Environmental Health Coordinator has reviewed the Environmental Noise Level Impact
Assessment, and has stated that noise pollution will be generated from various sources related to
the lagoon/wave pool, including mechanical plant noise, car-park related noise, human noise
(e.g. shouting, laughing and screaming), and music/noise from external sound systems. The
Environmental Noise Level Impact Assessment provided takes into account only mechanical and
human noise. As such, the calculations in the Assessment do not account for all noise sources
related to the lagoon/wave pool, and that it is likely that actual noise, when calculated during
operational times, will result in ambient noise levels for the vicinity being exceeded.
From the material provided it is not clear that the proposed measures will satisfactorily mitigate
noise for surrounding residents and visitors
Waste Water Disposal
It is proposed that the lagoon/wave pool will require (a minimum of) 2 x 280,000L tanks to be
installed to maintain water levels. A Water Management Plan prepared by TOD was supplied
with the application material and stated that one of the tanks would include an unsealed base for
disposal of excess water via infiltration, and one would be used for storage to top up water levels
as required.
A Groundwater Dependent Ecosystem Preliminary Impact Assessment prepared by North Coast
Environmental Services (NCES) was also provided with the application material. In the
preparation of the report, the author carried out a desktop assessment of the ecology values of
the wetland ecosystem within the Great Sandy National Park. The report states:
      ‘No information has been provided to the NCES regarding the proposed water quality of the
      overflow waters to be discharged from the wave pool holding tanks. It is unknown whether
      the wave pool will host natural freshwater or whether it will host ionised water from salt or
      chlorine additives. The TOD Water Management Plan presented with the application
      proposes that the discharge waters will be treated to remove either salt or chlorine
      additives but offers no further details regarding treatment methods and final water
      chemistry.’
      ‘Sustained release of salinized (from salt or chlorine additives) discharge water would
      represent potential to influence local water chemistry which in turn may impact the
      composition and abundance of local groundwater organisms as well as floras dependent
      upon the groundwater.’
It is noted that the recommendations of the NCES Groundwater Impact report contradicts the
recommendation in the TOD Water Management Plan in regards to the method for discharging
waste water.

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