Environmental Impact Assessment
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1.1 Environmental Impact Assessment Sanctum West – Master Planned Residential Community Prepared for Maidment Land Pty ltd 25 September 2017 WILD ENVIRONMENTAL CONSULTANTS Document Control Environmental Impact Assessment – Sanctum West Project Ref: JW171107 Document Title Environmental Impact Assessment– Sanctum West Client Name Maidment Land Pty Ltd Project Manager Nicholas Baker B.Sc CEnvP www.wildenvironmental.com Milford Baker Pty Ltd – Trading as Wild Environmental Consultants Cite as: Wild Environmental Consultants, 2017, Environmental Impact Assessment, Sanctum West - Lot 267 on EP1719 and Lot 257 on SP253223, 829 Brabon Road, Beach Holm, prepared by Wild Environmental Consultants for Maidment Land Pty. Copyright: This publication is protected by the Copyright Act 1968. The concepts and information contained in this document are the property of Milford Baker Pty Ltd. Use or copying of this document in whole or in part without the written consent of Milford Baker Pty Ltd constitutes an infringement of copyright. Disclaimer This report has been prepared by Wild Environmental Consultants on behalf of and for the exclusive use of Milford Baker Pty Ltd’s Client, and is subject to and issued in connection with the provisions of the agreement between Milford Baker Pty Ltd and its Client. While reasonable effort has been made to ensure that the contents of this publication are factually correct, Milford Baker Pty Ltd does not accept responsibility for the accuracy or completeness of the contents, and shall not be liable for any loss or damage that may be occasioned directly or indirectly through the use or, or reliance on, the contents of this publication. Document history and status Revision Date Description By Review 0.1 9 June 2017 1st Draft - Internal Sebastian Madden B.Sc Nicholas Baker B.Sc CEnvP 0.2 14 June 2017 2nd Draft – Client Review Sebastian Madden B.Sc Nicholas Baker B.Sc CEnvP 1.0 27 June 2017 3rd Draft – BTFRT Nicholas Baker B.Sc CEnvP 2.0 25 September 2017 Final Sebastian Madden B.Sc Nicholas Baker B.Sc CEnvP Approval for Issue Name and position Signature Date Nicholas Baker, Director 25 September 2017 Permits and approvals Wild Environmental Consultants operate in accordance with the following permits and approvals: Scientific Use Registration Certificate (Animal Care and Protection Act 2001) – Registration Number 600 Scientific Purposes Permit (Nature Conservation (Administration) Regulation 2006) – Permit number WISP17791316 Animal Ethics Approval (Animal Ethics Committee) – AEC Application Reference Number CA 2016/08/997 Marine Parks Permit (Great Barrier Reef Marine Park Regulations 1983 and Marine Park Regulation 2006) – G16/38539.1 2 of 108 2017/JW171107 Wild Environmental Consultants Environmental Impact Assessment Santum West Executive summary Maidment Land Pty ltd plans to develop Sanctum West, a master planned residential community located approximately 19km west of Townsville, adjacent to Black River (west) and the existing Sanctum Residential Estate (east). The proposed action includes a development footprint of approximately 390 ha in area including traditional residential subdivision, open space, and associated infrastructure. The proposed action has existing Local Government and State approvals subject to conditions. The proposed action is located in the coastal floodplains of the Black River drainage basin. The site is characterised by Melaleuca viridiflora low open woodlands on alluvial plains. A large portion of the proposed development site is non-remnant vegetation. Of the remaining remnant vegetation on site, approximately 66.52% (175.61ha) will be avoided. Matters of National Environmental Significance which may potentially be impacted by the project include: - Black-throated Finch; - Bare-rumped Sheathtail Bat; - Great Barrier Reef World Heritage Area; - Great Barrier Reef National Heritage Area; and - the Great Barrier Reef Marine Park. The site of the proposed action has been the subject of extensive ecological and environmental investigations and flood modelling. The proposed development layout has been designed considering avoidance of impacts to habitat for species of conservation significance, habitat connectivity, and flood mitigation. Avoidance measures to address these issues include: - maintaining a riparian buffer of a minimum of 100m along Low Creek and Black River; - maintain areas of remnant vegetation considered important for listed threatened species; and - maintain hydrological connectivity and open space between the eastern and western sides of the development as a drainage corridor. Conserving the riparian buffers along Black River and Low Creek will regulate overland flow and reduce excess sediment and nutrients entering downstream aquatic ecosystems. This avoidance measure is a critical mechanism for the development to reduce its impacts upon the Great Barrier Reef Marine Park, World Heritage Area, and National Heritage Area. The preservation of the riparian buffers serves a dual purpose and will act as a wildlife corridor maintaining connectivity between habitats. 3 of 108 2017/JW171107 Wild Environmental Consultants Environmental Impact Assessment Santum West Extensive ecology surveys targeting Black-throated Finches found the species was foraging in the central area of the proposed development area. The foraging area was artificially enhanced over years of poor land management practices, creating resources (ground stored grass seeds) and relatively low ground cover which provides access to the seed. Remnant vegetation which should be suitable for Black-throated Finches was found to contain unsuitable densities of herbaceous weeds, reducing the areas suitability for foraging. The central non-remnant area will be lost to development. A Mitigation Driven Passive Relocation Plan is proposed to mitigate the loss of the artificial foraging habitat. Further mitigation measures for the other listed matters are proposed to be dealt with through a series of Environmental Management Plans required in accordance with the State and Local Government approvals. The proposed action is in close proximity to the Great Barrier Reef Marine Park, which increases the potential risk of impacts from erosion and sediment loss during construction if unmitigated. An Erosion and Sediment Control Plan and a Conceptual Stormwater Quality Management Plan is proposed to mitigate these impacts. After considering the proposed action, the existing environmental values and the proposed avoidance and mitigation measures, it is considered that the proposed action can be managed in a way which does not result in a likely significant impact on any Matters of National Environmental Significance. 4 of 108 2017/JW171107 Wild Environmental Consultants Environmental Impact Assessment Santum West Contents 1. Introduction ......................................................................................................................................... 8 1.1 Overview ........................................................................................................................................ 8 1.2 Purpose and Scope of report .......................................................................................................... 8 1.3 Project and site description............................................................................................................. 9 1 . 4 Assumption and limitations ....................................................................................................... 11 2. Legislative considerations ................................................................................................................ 12 2.1 Environmental Protection and Biodiversity Conservation Act 1999 ............................................... 12 3. Existing environmental values ......................................................................................................... 13 3.1 Ecological surveys and baseline data ........................................................................................... 13 3.2 Environmental Setting .................................................................................................................. 14 3.3 Vegetation Communities and Regional Ecosystem Classifications ............................................... 17 3.4 Matters of National Environmental Significance ............................................................................ 22 4. Potential impacts and mitigation measures .................................................................................... 42 4.1 Avoidance of impacts ................................................................................................................... 42 4.2 Terrestrial habitat impacts ............................................................................................................ 46 4.3 Aquatic Habitat ............................................................................................................................. 56 5. Significant impact assessment ........................................................................................................ 60 5.1 Black-throated Finch (Poephila cincta cincta) ............................................................................... 60 5.2 Bare-rumped Sheathtail Bat (Saccolaimus saccolaimus nudicluniatus) ........................................ 65 5.3 Great Barrier Reef Marine Park ...................................................................................................