EPA Victoria has released a draft guideline for consultation on Assessing planning proposals near landfills (Publication 1625).
The guideline has been developed to help councils, environmental auditors and others involved in the landfill planning process to assess development applications. The draft guideline provides information and advice on assessing planning permit applications and planning scheme amendments regarding potential development near an operating or closed landfill.
The draft guideline is consistent with EPA’s existing policy – the Landfill BPEM, but is written specifically for a planning audience, and provides more details on EPA’s expectations for an appropriate risk-based assessment of proposals.
This guideline was prompted by the VAGO Managing Landfills Audit Recommendation 13 “(EPA) works with the Metropolitan Waste and Resource Recovery Group to develop an appropriate planning process/tool to ensure the Environment Protection Authority’s involvement in rezoning or application process across Victoria where development adjacent to active or closed landfills may be involved”.
Submissions on the draft guideline close at 5pm on 8 July 2016 and should be emailed to guidelines@epa.vic.gov.au.
