Bluff Solar Farm Development Application for Material Change of Use— Renewable Energy Facility and Reconfiguring a Lot (2 lots into 4 lots), Subdivision by Lease Agreement (2 lots) and Access Easement Planning Report (Final) Bluff Solar Farm Pty Limited April 2017 0387539 www.erm.com The business of sustainability Approved by: Michael Rookwood Bluff Solar Farm Position: Project Manager Planning Report (Final) Signed: Bluff Solar Farm Pty Limited Date: 13 April, 2017 Approved by: Alan Simonic April 2017 Position: Partner Director Signed: Date: 13 April, 2017 0387539_01 Environmental Resources Management Australia Pty Ltd Quality System www.erm.com This disclaimer, together with any limitations specified in the report, apply to use of this report. This report was prepared in accordance with the contracted scope of services for the specific purpose stated and subject to the applicable cost, time and other constraints. In preparing this report, ERM relied on: (a) client/third party information which was not verified by ERM except to the extent required by the scope of services, and ERM does not accept responsibility for omissions or inaccuracies in the client/third party information; and (b) information taken at or under the particular times and conditions specified, and ERM does not accept responsibility for any subsequent changes. This report has been prepared solely for use by, and is confidential to, the client and ERM accepts no responsibility for its use by other persons. This report is subject to copyright protection and the copyright owner reserves its rights. This report does not constitute legal advice. CONTENTS 1 INTRODUCTION 1.1 SITE DETAILS 3 1.2 DEVELOPMENT APPLICATION SUMMARY 3 1.3 OVERVIEW/PURPOSE 4 1.4 PRE-LODGEMENT MEETING DISCUSSIONS 5 1.4.1 CENTRAL HIGHLANDS REGIONAL COUNCIL 5 1.4.2 STATE REFERRAL ASSESSMENT AGENCY 6 2 SITE ANALYSIS AND URBAN CONTEXT 2.1 SITE AND SURROUNDING LAND USES 8 2.2 SITE SPECIFICS 8 2.2.1 CURRENT USE OF SITE 8 2.2.2 SIZE AND TOPOGRAPHY 8 2.2.3 EASEMENTS AND INCUMBENTS 9 2.2.4 CONTAMINATED LAND 9 2.2.5 VEGETATION AND FAUNA 9 2.2.6 HERITAGE 11 2.2.7 SITE DRAINAGE 11 2.2.8 ROAD FRONTAGE AND ACCESS 11 2.2.9 EXISTING WATER AND SEWERAGE 11 3 PLANNING PROPOSAL 3.1 OVERVIEW OF PROPOSED DEVELOPMENT 12 3.1.1 RENEWABLE ENERGY FACILITY 12 3.1.2 SUBDIVISION 13 3.2 BUILT FORM/ DESIGN COMPONENTS 14 3.3 PRELIMINARY GRID CONNECTION ROUTE 16 3.4 PROPOSED DEVELOPMENT PHASES 16 3.4.1 DESIGN AND CONSTRUCTION METHODS 16 3.4.2 PROJECT DELIVERY TIMEFRAMES 17 3.4.3 OPERATIONS PHASE 17 3.4.4 DECOMMISSIONING 17 3.5 ENVIRONMENTAL CONSIDERATIONS 18 3.5.1 ECOLOGY/ BIODIVERSITY 18 3.6 VISUAL AND GLARE CONSIDERATIONS 18 3.7 STORMWATER AND FLOODING CONSIDERATIONS 19 3.8 SITE ACCESS AND TRAFFIC CONSIDERATIONS 19 3.8.1 CONSTRUCTION TRAFFIC 20 3.8.2 OPERATIONAL TRAFFIC 21 4 PLANNING ASSESSMENT 4.1 PLANNING FRAMEWORK 22 4.2 CENTRAL QUEENSLAND REGIONAL PLAN 2013 22 4.2.1 STATE INTEREST - PRIORITY AGRICULTURAL AREAS 23 4.2.2 STATE INTEREST – PRIORITY LIVING AREAS 24 CONTENTS 4.2.3 INFRASTRUCTURE AND OTHER STATE INTERESTS 24 4.3 STATE PLANNING MATTERS 25 4.3.1 APPLICABLE STATE MAPPING 25 4.3.2 STATE AGENCY REFERRALS 27 4.3.3 STATE DEVELOPMENT ASSESSMENT PROVISIONS 27 4.4 CENTRAL HIGHLANDS REGION PLANNING SCHEME 28 4.4.1 STRATEGIC FRAMEWORK 28 4.4.2 DEVELOPMENT DEFINITIONS 29 4.4.3 LOCALITY, ZONING AND LEVEL OF ASSESSMENT 29 4.4.4 APPLICABLE PLANNING SCHEME CODES 29 5 CONCLUSION LIST OF FIGURES FIGURE 1 SITE CONTEXT MAP 7 FIGURE 4.1 PRIORITY AGRICULTURAL AREAS 23 FIGURE 4.2 PRIORITY LIVING AREAS 24 FIGURE 4.3 DAMS MAPPING 26 LIST OF TABLES TABLE 2.1 LIST OF EASEMENTS BURDENING PROPERTY TABLE 3.1 PROPOSED LOT BREAKDOWN TABLE 3.6 ANTICIPATED MAXIMUM TRAFFIC VOLUMES DURING CONSTRUCION TABLE 4.3.1 MATTERS OF STATE INTEREST TABLE 4.3.2 APPLICABLE SDAP MODULES ANNEXURES ANNEX A PROPOSAL PLANS ANNEX B PRELODGEMENT RESPONSE ANNEX C SURVEY PLAN AND TITLE SEARCH ANNEX D EMR/ CLR SEARCH RESULTS ANNEX E ECOLOGY ASSESSMENT ANNEX F CULTURAL HERITAGE SEARCH ANNEX G GLARE ASSESSMENT ANNEX H SDAP CODE ASSESSMENT ANNEX I CHRPS 2016 CODE ASSESSMENT 1 INTRODUCTION 1.1 SITE DETAILS Address Capricorn Highway, Bluff, Queensland, 4702 Real property Part of Lot 79 on SP238443 and Part of Lot 723 on SP129824 (access only) description Site area 455.4ha (Lot 79) & 18.9 (Lot 723) Colin William Goodwin (Lot 79) and Department of Transport and Main Owner Roads (Lot 723) Local Central Highlands Regional Council government Planning Central Highlands Regional Council Planning Scheme 2016 scheme Planning Rural – Lot 79 Scheme zone Community Facility – Lot 723 (access purposes only) Regional plan Central Queensland Regional Plan 1.2 DEVELOPMENT APPLICATION SUMMARY Development Permit for: Application • Material Change of Use - Renewable Energy Facility (Solar Farm) type • Reconfiguring a Lot (2 lots into 4 lots), Subdivision by Lease Agreement (2 lots) and Access Easement Bluff Solar Farm Pty Limited Applicant c/- Environmental Resources Management Australia Pty Ltd The Project involves construction of a large scale solar over two (2) stages. Each stage has a separate lease area, with Stage 1 being 180ha and Stage 2 Proposed being 152ha. A substation is also proposed to facilitate the connection to the development grid for each stage, with a new freehold lot required by Ergon Energy over (Project) these substations. Access to the Project is proposed via the existing access location off the Capricorn Highway across the rail corridor identified as Lot 723 on SP129824. Level of Material Change of Use – Impact Assessable assessment Reconfiguring a Lot – Impact Assessable State Assessment & Referral/Advice Agencies: • Department of Transport and Main Roads SPR 2009, Schedule 7, Table 3, Item 15A - Railways • Department of Transport and Main Roads Referral SPR 2009, Schedule 7, Table 3 , Item 1 - State Controlled Roads • Ergon Energy & Powerlink (Advice Agency) SPR 2009, Schedule 7, Table 2, Item 21 and Table 3, Item 7 – Electricity Infrastructure Planning • Biodiversity • Regional Infrastructure scheme • Bushfire Hazard • Flood Hazard overlays Public 15 business days notification ERM AUSTRALIA PTY LTD 0387539_INFIGEN ENERGY BLUFF SOLAR PROJECT - PLANNING REPORT [FINAL] 130417.DOCX 3 1.3 OVERVIEW/PURPOSE This Planning Report has been prepared by Environmental Resources Management Australia Pty Ltd (ERM) on behalf of Bluff Solar Farm Pty Limited (part of Infigen Energy) in support of a Development Application for Material Change of Use for Renewable Energy Facility (Solar Farm), and Reconfiguring a Lot (2 lots into 4 lots), Subdivision by Lease Agreement (2 lots) and Access Easement, over land described as part of Lot 79 on SP238443 and part of Lot 723 on SP129824 (for access purposes only), Capricorn Highway, Bluff, for the proposed Bluff Solar Farm (the Project). Lot 79 has a total area of 455.4ha, with the proposed lease area of approximately 322ha, which will accommodate a development footprint for the facility of approximately 270ha. The Project is located 2km west of the township of Bluff, 15km east of the township of Blackwater, and 90km east of Emerald, within the Central Highlands Regional Council (Council) Local Government Area (LGA). Note Lot 723 is included in the development application due to site access across this lot (rail corridor). The Project involves the subdivision of the lot by lease agreement to facilitate the development of the Bluff Solar Farm, with the associated substations proposed on two (2) freehold lots and associated access easement over the access track to provide lawful access to the new lots. The Project is likely to be constructed in two (2) stages, with a maximum capacity of approximately 250MW. The Project includes construction of solar facility including photovoltaic panels and tracking system, switchyards, energy storage batteries and the provision of on-site facilities associated with the Project’s operation. Access across the existing rail crossing is included due to the rail corridor in this locality being part of a separate freehold lot. Refer to Annex A – Proposal Plans. Under the Central Highlands Regional Council Planning Scheme (the planning scheme), Lot 79 is zoned Rural, and Lot 723 Community Facility, with the level of assessment attributed to the proposed use identified in Part 5 of the Planning Scheme as ‘Impact Assessable’ for the Material Change of Use, and ‘Impact Assessable’ for the Reconfiguring a Lot component, as a result of the creation of two (2) new lots and lease agreements of more than 10 years under the minimum prescribed lot size for the Rural Zone. It should be noted that a Renewable Energy Facility is Code Assessable in Rural Zones, however due to access across Lot 723, triggers Impact Assessment. The Development Application also requires referral to the State Assessment and Referral Agency (SARA) and Advice Agencies in accordance with the following triggers under the Sustainable Planning Regulation 2009 (SPR 2009): • Department of Transport and Main Roads (Schedule 7, Table 3, Item 1 State- controlled Roads and Item 15A - Railway); and • Ergon Energy or Powerlink as Advice Agencies (Schedule 7, Table 2, Item 21 and Table 3, Item 7 – Electricity Infrastructure). ERM AUSTRALIA PTY LTD 0387539_INFIGEN ENERGY BLUFF SOLAR PROJECT - PLANNING REPORT [FINAL] 130417.DOCX 4 In order to support the Project and to assist CHRC in its assessment of the Development Application, the following expert reports have been prepared and are attached as annexures: • Ecological Assessment Report prepared by ERM, Project Reference 0387539_03, February 2017 (Annex E); and • Glare Assessment prepared by ERM, Project Ref. 0387539_02, February 2017 (Annex F). This Planning Report sets out the details of the Project, the background to the application and addresses relevant town planning issues associated with the development.