Council to seek to extend waste project approval
A proposal to extend for five years planning approval for an alternative waste technology project at Woy Woy tip will be submitted to the Minister for Planning, following last week's Central Coast Council meeting.
A report about the proposed extension was dealt with by Central Coast Council Administrator, Mr Ian Reynolds, in a confidential council session.
At the conclusion of the confidential session on September 14, Mr Reynolds resolved to request that, pursuant to clause 11A of Schedule 6A of the Environmental Planning and Assessment Act 1979, that the NSW Minister for Planning extend the date on which the Part 3A approval for the Alternative Waste Technology and Composting Facilities Project lapses from October 1, 2016 to October 1, 2021.
He also resolved to keep the report confidential "as this report includes advice that would be privileged from production in Court proceedings".
The Local Government Act requires the chief executive officer to identify those matters listed on the business paper which may be categorised as confidential.
Central Coast Council chief Mr Rob Noble, recommended that Report Number 5.2, Woy Woy Alternative Waste Technology - Project Approval Extension, should be considered in confidential session.
The reason given for considering the report in closed session was: "The report contains advice that would be privileged from production in legal proceedings on the grounds of legal professional privilege: 2(g) information that would, if disclosed, prejudice the maintenance of law".
No other information was made available prior to the council meeting to explain the nature of the report.
Alternative Waste Technology Proposals have been debated by the former Gosford and Wyong Councils since at least 2004.
The challenge facing the new Central Coast Council is that the Kincumber landfill has been closed for several years and continues to operate only as a transfer facility for sorting and transportation of waste to its final destination.
The Woy Woy landfill's life is limited to 2032 based on current usage.
It is, therefore, imperative that council finds ways to prolong its economic life.
In 2010, Gosford Council decided not to proceed with an alternate waste technology and composting facility at Woy Woy tip following Wyong's rejection of the proposal.
At the time, Wyong Council indicated that they were supportive of a regional approach to waste management but that financial analysis showed that involvement in the project would not have provided a sufficient economic benefit.
Wyong's decision not to support the proposal resulted in it being abandoned by the former Gosford Council.
A gateway proposal was refused by NSW Planning in 2012, and was then withdrawn by Gosford Council, that would have established a resource recovery facility at the Bulls Hill Quarry site.
The proposal identified a high need for a long term site that could process solid waste, garden organics and construction and demolition waste.
The facility would have included a soil processing facility, community re-use facility and Alternate Waste Technology.
The Alternate Waste Technology proposed would have been used for processing 100,000 tonnes of municipal solid waste per year from Gosford and Wyong.
A composting facility would have been included to manage 60,000 tonnes per annum of source separated green waste and 15,000 tonnes per annum of biosolids.
The proposal would have rezoned land at Woy Woy Rd, Woy Woy Bay that was zoned 7A Conservation and Scenic Protection to 5A Special Uses.
A report in support of the proposal from Gosford Council said it was "considered that the development of a resource recovery facility located at Bulls Hill was critical to the future waste management options for Gosford and ultimately the Central Coast Region."
According to the former Gosford Council's 2014 Gosford Waste Strategy, Alternate Waste Treatment is one way in which organics from the waste stream can be beneficially re-used.
This is a technology solution that would require the new Central Coast Council to invest in the development of advanced waste technology (AWT) facilities that can recover organic resources from the mixed residual waste stream.
"Organics outputs from AWTs can be used to improve soil health in a range of applications, although the products are generally of lower quality than composts produced from source separated feedstock,' the strategy document said.
"Energy can also be recovered at AWTs, including the potential to produce Refuse Derived Fuel from residual materials," the strategy document said.
"The opportunity to identify suitable sites for such a resource recovery facility is extremely limited.
"This difficulty is due to the need to find a site that meets operational requirements, is of sufficient area to accommodate the use, has minimal environmental effects and is isolated from populated areas yet has good access for transportation of materials," the strategy said.
Peninsula News has requested more information about the Alternative Waste Technology project from Central Coast Council.
Agenda item 1.5, 14 Sep 2016
Email, 15 Sep 2016
Ian Reynolds, Central Coast Council
Gosford Waste Strategy, 13 Mar 2014
Ron Wainberg, Hyder Consulting Pty Ltd
NSW Planning and Environment Proposal Details, 14 Sep 2016
PP_2012_Gosford_010_00 and attached documents
Reporter: Jackie Pearson