Program Report for the Strategic Assessment of the Heathcote Ridge Development, West Menai, Under the Environment Protection and Biodiversity Conservation Act (1999)
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PROGRAM REPORT FOR THE STRATEGIC ASSESSMENT OF THE HEATHCOTE RIDGE DEVELOPMENT, WEST MENAI, UNDER THE ENVIRONMENT PROTECTION AND BIODIVERSITY CONSERVATION ACT (1999) February 2013 Prepared for Gandangara Local Aboriginal Land Council By BBC Consulting Planners and Cumberland Ecology EXECUTIVE SUMMARY ................................................................................................1 1. INTRODUCTION ................................................................................................1 1.1 Background ...................................................................................................... 1 1.2 Consultation ..................................................................................................... 1 2. CONTEXT OF THE PROGRAM AND STRATEGIC JUSTIFICATION .....................3 2.1 Land Release History ....................................................................................... 3 2.1.1 Metropolitan Development Program ...................................................................... 3 2.1.2 Conclusion .............................................................................................................. 4 2.2 Metropolitan Strategic Planning ..................................................................... 4 2.2.1 Metropolitan Plan 2036 .......................................................................................... 4 2.2.2 Regional Strategies ................................................................................................ 6 2.2.3 Conclusion .............................................................................................................. 6 2.3 Demand for Urban Land Uses ......................................................................... 7 2.3.1 Demand for Residential Land ................................................................................. 7 2.3.2 Demand for Employment and Retail Uses ............................................................. 8 2.3.3 Justification for Land Uses ..................................................................................... 9 3. PROGRAM DESCRIPTION ...............................................................................11 3.1 Site Description .............................................................................................. 11 3.1.1 Regional Context .................................................................................................. 11 3.1.2 Property Description ............................................................................................. 12 3.1.3 Site Features ........................................................................................................ 13 3.1.4 Biodiversity, Flora and Fauna .............................................................................. 14 3.1.5 Urban Capability ................................................................................................... 18 3.2 The Program ................................................................................................... 19 3.2.1 Overview .............................................................................................................. 19 3.2.2 Distribution of Land Uses ..................................................................................... 20 3.2.3 Movement Systems .............................................................................................. 21 3.2.4 Development Staging ........................................................................................... 22 3.3 Conservation Area and Biodiversity Management ...................................... 23 3.3.1 Conservation Area ................................................................................................ 23 3.3.2 Ownership and Management Arrangements ....................................................... 24 3.3.3 Conservation Area Management Plan ................................................................. 24 3.3.4 Compensatory Measures ..................................................................................... 27 3.3.5 Managing Cultural Sites ....................................................................................... 28 3.3.6 Managing Riparian Corridors ............................................................................... 28 4. PROGRAM IMPLEMENTATION .......................................................................29 4.1 Legal Framework ........................................................................................... 29 4.1.1 Environment Protection and Biodiversity Conservation Act 1999 ........................ 29 4.1.2 Environmental Planning and Assessment Act 1979 and Regulation 2000 .......... 29 4.1.3 Threatened Species Conservation Act (TSC Act) 1995 ....................................... 33 4.2 Planning Processes and Tools ..................................................................... 34 4.2.1 Land Use Zones ................................................................................................... 34 4.2.2 Principal Development Standards ........................................................................ 34 4.2.3 Infrastructure Requirements ................................................................................. 35 4.3 Conservation Processes and Tools .............................................................. 36 4.3.1 Impacts on Threatened Flora and Fauna and Endangered Ecological Communities ........................................................................................................ 36 4.3.2 Ecological Corridors ............................................................................................. 37 4.3.3 Attributes of Offsets Package ............................................................................... 38 4.3.4 Aboriginal Cultural Heritage Impacts .................................................................... 41 5. OUTCOMES AND COMMITMENTS FOR MATTERS OF NATIONAL ENVIRONMENTAL SIGNIFICANCE .................................................................42 5.1 Outcomes ....................................................................................................... 42 5.2 Summary of Commitments ............................................................................ 46 5.2.1 Funding Arrangements for MNES Conservation .................................................. 46 5.2.2 Land Use Zoning .................................................................................................. 47 5.2.3 Sydney Turpentine-Ironbark Forest and Shale/Sandstone Transition Forest48 5.2.4 Acacia bynoeana, ................................................................................................. 49 5.2.5 Melaleuca deanei ................................................................................................. 49 5.2.6 Koala 50 5.2.7 Grey-headed Flying-fox ........................................................................................ 50 6. PROGRAM EVALUATION REPORTING AND MONITORING ..........................52 6.1 Mechanisms to Monitor Outcomes of the Program ..................................... 52 6.2 Commitment to Regular Public Reporting ................................................... 52 6.2.1 Annual Report ...................................................................................................... 52 6.3 Mechanism to Independently Audit the Program ........................................ 53 REFERENCES 1. Stakeholder Consultation Strategy by EMC and Barker Strategic 2. Stakeholder Consultation Report by EMC and Barker Strategic 3. Housing and Human Services Study by BBC Consulting Planners 4. Heathcote Ridge Employment Study by Urbis 5. Economic Assessment of Appropriate Retail Floorspace by Leyshon Consulting 6. Stage 1 Environmental Site Assessment by JBS Environmental 7. Riparian Corridor Assessment by Harris Environmental Consulting 8. Ecological Assessment by Cumberland Ecology 9. Aboriginal Heritage Assessment by MDCA 10. Bushfire Risk Assessment by ABPP 11. Master Plan Servicing Strategy by Acor 12. Traffic and Transport Assessment by Hyder and Urban Horizons 13. Existing Noise Assessment by SLR Consulting Pty Ltd 14. Land Use Structure Planning Report by Place Design Group 15. Stormwater Management Plan by Acor and James Ball 16. Water Sensitive Urban Design by Acor 17. Conceptual Ecologically Sensitive Design ESD Strategy Report by Acor 18. CPTED Analysis by Urbis 19. Preliminary Geotechnical Desktop Study by Jeffery & Katauskas EXECUTIVE SUMMARY Background In November 2011, the Commonwealth of Australia, through the Department of Sustainability, Environment, Water, Population and Communities (SEWPaC) and Gandangara Local Aboriginal Land Council (GLALC) commenced a Strategic Assessment under the Environment Protection and Biodiversity Conservation Act 1999 (EPBCAct) of the potential impacts likely to arise through the development and management of the Heathcote Ridge Development Site. This Program Report (PR) has been prepared in accordance with section 6 of the agreement between The Commonwealth of Australia and the GLALC. It describes the program and presents commitments and undertakings for protection of matters of national environmental significance (MNES). The Heathcote Ridge Development (the Program) creates residential, employment and conservation areas and related infrastructure at Heathcote Ridge Development Site. Program Background The release of Heathcote Ridge and other land at West Menai has been on the