Ipswich City Council to put forward local views for state planning policy on air, noise and hazardous materials
IPSWICH City Council plans to lodge a public submission on the draft State Planning Policy for Air, Noise and Hazardous Materials.
Planning and Development Committee Chairperson Councillor Paul Tully said council had considered the possible implications of the draft policy on planning and development functions in the Ipswich local government area.
Cr Tully said the policy was designed to ensure that emissions generated by industrial and intensive animal husbandry activities did not adversely affect the health and well-being of individuals and the community.
"We do not want to see these activities impact on facilities such as child care centres, units, houses, educational establishments, health care services, hospitals, hostels, local offices, relocatable home parks, residential care facilities, retirement facilities, short-term accommodation and tourist parks," he said.
"Council now plan to put forward its observations and suggestions about the policy on behalf of the Ipswich community.
"This policy will impact on council as once it is adopted we will be required to take into account the policy when council makes changes or amendments to the city's planning scheme."
Cr Tully said council believed that there were some shortcomings with the draft policy which needed to be addressed and this would form the basis of its submission on the policy.
"Of particular concern is the fact that the policy places the responsibility for managing air, noise and hazardous materials on property owners surrounding industrial areas and uses.
"Business operators who have activities which create air and noise nuisance or have hazardous materials on their premises should be required, as much as possible, to manage these nuisances and materials on-site.
"Also the policy does not recognise that many low impact industrial activities are an integral part of the city that we live in.
"There are many areas in Ipswich where industrial uses are located side by side with residential areas and no issues arise.
"It comes down to good management practices by operators and good regulatory practice by council and the State Government when operators do not do the right thing."
Cr Tully said council also felt that the Queensland Odour Impact Assessment Guidelines needed to be included to ensure nuisance odour impacts associated with industrial activities other than intensive animal industries were adequately addressed.
He said intensive animal husbandry was also not clearly mentioned throughout the draft policy and council believed additional references to the inclusion of an agricultural use should be incorporated.
"We also want clarification from the Department of Environment and Resource Management (DERM) as to whether declared master plan areas are exempt from the application of the draft policy."
Cr Tully said council hoped that DERM would consider council's comments on the policy which drew on its knowledge of the local area and community.
"We believe we have some valid suggestions and comments to make and look forward to seeing them incorporated in the final version of this policy."
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