Project Update – JRPP Meeting

The project was reviewed by the Northern Joint Regional Planning Panel (the Panel) on 19 February 2020. The meeting opened at 6:05pm and closed at 9:12pm. The recorded resolution of the Panel was that “The Panel agreed to defer determination of the matter until all of the aforementioned information is provided in an updated assessment report. After the assessment report is received a public meeting will be held to enable consideration and determination of the application.”

The Panel released a Record of Deferral (see attached) that advised Reasons for Deferral:

1.The Panel sees in principle benefit in a facility of the type proposed as it would remove a significant volume of materials from the waste stream and process them into useful products;

2.The Panel believes the proposal is permissible development in the subject zone (RU1 – Primary Production) and that the proposed use has been properly characterised as a ‘Resource Recovery Facility’;

3.The Panel believes that the site of the proposed development is capable of satisfactorily accommodating a resource recovery facility provided that it is carefully designed and effectively managed and regulated;

4.The Panel believes that following inclusion of the stronger regulatory measures and conditions identified below, and prior to submission of an updated assessment report, it would be prudent for Council to commission an independent external review of the development proposal. The review would comment on the adequacy of the assessment process and report including its recommendations and the proposed conditions of development consent considering the submissions received on the proposal. The review would be undertaken by either a suitably qualified consulting firm of a council of similar size and population to Tamworth Regional Council. The review report would be made public.

-The aforementioned concerns are detailed in the Record of Deferral document.

Further information and related documents can be found under the Project attachments and Links tabs at https://www.planningportal.nsw.gov.au/planning-panel/organic-recycling-facility

What is being done:

Council’s Waste division have engaged the services of an experienced consultant to address each aspect of the Panels concerns, and to conduct further discussions with relevant governing authorities through the following approaches:

Further Consultation with governing authorities: Water NSW and NSW EPA;

Further Consultation with Tunnel Composting System Supplier;

Identification of where the concept design has exceeded general standards;

Further Hydrology modelling to:

-assess 1/25yr 24hour and 1/50yr 24hr rainfall events;

-water demands (best and worst case) for processing 35,000tpa and 50,000tpa;

-identify potential flow path from stormwater dams and proposed mitigation measures to direct and contain on-site.

Drafting of Operational Procedures and separation into primary categories (Delivery, Stockpiling, Processing and Storage);

Detailed traffic assessments and flow paths on intersections;

Consult with Bus Companies that utilise the area;

Improve auditing systems used for monitoring incoming and outgoing product from the facility

Organics Recovery Facilities share the important responsibility, along with everyone in our community, to help protect the environment. Therefor Council’s Planning & Compliance have advised that they will commission an independent external review of the development proposal, in addition Waste services supporting documentation will also be subjected to a separate independent 3^rd party review to ascertain if all guidelines and standards have been considered for a well designed purpose built composting facility. Upon completion of both independent reviews as per the Panel’s item 4 comment, the Independent Reports would be made.