2015 City Plan
A draft of the City Plan 2015 that was sent to State Government for comment has been available to the YRA since Nov 2013. Snippets of information about the final draft were strategically leaked to YRA while the Council and State Government were in discussion. Now that the City Plan is available for in depth investigation and recognising that there is only limited time available for submissions YRA is keen to quickly research the document carefully and report its findings back to members and the Yatala and Ormeau community generally. Watch this space.
The following were some key points of concern about the first draft document sent to the state government.
Key Points of Concern
1 Operation
We note in the definitions, that a 24 hour/day/nighttime operation is hinted at i.e.: this is a so-called attribute for Special, High impact and Medium Impact Industry categories.
YRA is very concerned that designating Special or High and Medium impact zones is an underhanded way of trying to introduce 24/7 operation into Yatala.
Many years ago this same idea was floated in a local paper article for the Centra Park Industrial Estate. Not surprisingly it was denounced at a local meeting by our then MP Margaret Keech and Council. This is totally in-appropriate and morally wrong as Stanmore Road is the only road which can be used to access the M1 or the west via Beenleigh -Beaudesert Road. Residents along Stanmore Road know exactly how loud the truck noise is in the early hours of the morning and will never again be able to get a good nights’ sleep. Truck noise is loud enough to disturb residents living even 600-700 metres away from Stanmore Road. All residents affected should make this point to all your politicians and Premier if necessary. The effects of 24/7 will have major consequences on lifestyle and well being of the local residents.
2 Negative Attributes of Industry Zone
Even though we are being encouraged to believe that the new scheme has eliminated businesses with noxious and hazardous emissions, it is vital to carefully read the definitions for High Impact Industry, Medium Impact Industry and to note what their attributes are that make them desirable to be placed amongst us. Then ask yourselves and our politicians if that is really the case.
3 Is there Special Industry or not?
The map included in the draft plan does not have a legend representing Special Industry - the most extreme industries with the greatest health impacts. Special Industry zones have a buffer of 1.5kms buffer, making location of Special Industries impossible in Yatala due to the close proximity of surrounding residential estates.
4 Biomass Incinerator is a Medium Impact Industry?
The Phoenix company has been granted a permit for some 8 “environmentally relevant activities” (including a biomass incinerator/clean and power station with the 30 metre chimney). YRA suspects some of these activities come under the heading of "Special Industry" i.e. with the attributes of "potential for extreme impacts on sensitive land uses, due to offsite emissions including aerosol, fume, particule, smoke, odour and noise”. This plant is shown in this map as within a medium Impact Industry zone. Ask your politicians WHY, and if they try to tell you it hasn't quite happened yet, ask why is it that currently residential houses opposite them on Sandy Creek Road are already shown as High Impact!!
5 Can General Industry be High Impact Industry?
The map shows there are two very large parcels of land along Stanmore Road on either side of Peachey Road. These are now shown in the plan as Low Impact and Medium Impact zones whereas both definitions have already been successfully defeated Council in the Planning and Environment Court, and both have areas approved for General Industry under the current scheme. This means that they, as was the case for the biomass incinerator application, can be used for High Impact Industry.
6 Smoke and Chimneys Definitions
If you look closely at the definitions, you will note that all of them, including Low Impact, have the attributes of creating, amongst other things, smoke emissions. This means that we could well end up with 300 plus sites up-wind from residences, with 30 metre or 15 metre chimneys, and even if they were monitored correctly we would still be breathing in the total/cumulative emissions whereas we suspect DEHP only address individual applications on their merits. We hope we are wrong but you should take this opportunity now and ask our politicians to give a re-assurance in writing. For example if for some reason too many chimneys start to appear on our skyline, ask, can Council put a cap on the amount of chimneys to be allowed under this proposal?
7 The Rules were Set before Residential Development
If anyone tells you that all this must happen because all this was decided many, many years ago, before residents came into the area, note that some of us had acquired our properties in Yatala and Ormeau around and before 1988 at which time there were already residences in the area. The first planning scheme is dated 2003.
YRA will let everyone know other issues as they come to light now that the draft City Plan has been released for public comment.
