The NSW government has proposed planning policy improvements that they say will provide greater clarity, guidance and consistency for the remediation of contaminated land.
According to the Department of Planning and Environment’s deputy secretary for Policy, Strategy & Governance, Alison Frame, the Department is reviewing the State Environmental Planning Policy (SEPP) for the remediation of land and the Contaminated Land Planning Guidelines as part of a wider policy review program.
“For almost 20 years, the existing remediation state policy and associated planning guidelines have provided the planning framework for the management of contaminated land in NSW,” says Frame.
“It’s worked well in the past. But as technology improves and community expectations evolve, we need to make sure we have the latest requirements for the remediation of contaminated lands.”
It is proposed the new Remediation of Land SEPP will:
- Provide an updated and clearer State-wide planning framework for the remediation of land
- Require consent authorities to consider the potential for land to be contaminated when determining development applications
- Clearly list the remediation works that require development consent
- Introduce certification and operational requirements for remediation works that can be undertaken without development consent
The Department are currently seeking comment from the community. An Explanation of Intended Effect (EIE) and draft Planning Guidelines are available here.
