DESPITE strong community opposition Wanneroo councillors have voted to progress stage 1 of its proposed Neerabup resource recovery precinct allowing the city to progress design and documentation for the project and proceed with its business plan.
But the Neerabup resource recovery precinct master plan the councillors endorsed last night as the key guiding tool for the development of the future waste management precinct for the city is a modified version.
The original version included as its highest priority an estimated $750 incinerator to be paid for by private industry but the latest version does not provide any approvals for the delivery of such a facility and said the city did not expect waste-to-energy to be considered for 10 to 15 years based on required tonnages of waste for commercial viability.
Some neighbouring residents and the Carramar and Tapping Residents Association – NRRP Action Group have raised odour, air quality, groundwater and noise issues along with concern about the location of the precinct and what facilities would operate there.
Also when they realised the city had previously launched a market sounding process to engage with key players across the waste industry and incorporate their input prior to finalising the master plan before undertaking any public consultation this did not endear them to the city either.
After that the city’s attempts at community consultation failed to obtain a social licence for the proposal even though the original masterplan highlighted its importance to help it operate and obtain future approval processes.
During statement time Carramar resident Ingrid Martin said a social licence referred to the level of acceptance or approval by a local community and stakeholders for a project, beyond formal regulatory approvals.
“It is generally inferred from active community support, engagement and minimal opposition rather than a legal permit,’’ she said.
“The (city) officers are attempting to manufacture this through two poorly attended information drop-in evenings and some questions on their website.
The latest Neerabup resource recovery precinct proposal does not include approval for an incinerator but the precinct retains space for a possible future facility.“The community are here tonight to show the councillors the NRRP business plan does not have a social licence.
“We are here to tell you clearly you do not have a social licence for this project.’’
For now, the council has knocked the plan to put an incinerator in the precinct the highest priority on the head.
But the adopted master plan still sets aside land in the proposed precinct for a future waste-to-energy facility and as Central ward councillor Jordan Wright said last night a future council could approve such a facility although he personally thought by then it would be replaced by new technology.
The city is predicting its total annual waste will increase from the current 75,000 tonnes to 160,000 tonnes in 25 years’ time and estimates the cost to transport waste for the current year at $1.9 million (landfill) / $2.1m (waste to energy).
Last night in the same item councillors authorised the administration to implement recommendations made by Talis Consultants (attachment 3) and list the works identified under the financial implications section of the report to support the development of the Neerabup resource recovery precinct.
Councillors also authorised the administration to progress the design, documentation and associated project development work for the Wangara waste transfer station 2024-25 and approved an unbudgeted amount for the Wangara waste transfer station of $120,000 in the capital work budget in the 2024-25 financial year to be funded from waste management reserve to progress the design, documentation and associated project development work for the Wangara waste transfer station and listed funds of $2.54 million for consideration in the 2025-26 budget to undertake the construction of Wangara waste transfer station.
In a separate item the councillors also approved proceeding with the business plan for the Neerabup resource recovery precinct stage 1 for the provision of a waste transfer station, community recycling centre and materials recovery facility, prepared in accordance with section 3.59 of the Local Government Act 1995.
