Planning Advocacy

Consultation Period: Closed 12 October 2023

The application proposes changes to the Paper Mill. Opal will reduce the number of operating plants from 3 to 2. This will change the Mill's licensed discharges to air and surface waters.
The proposal includes:

transitioning pine pulping from the Batch Kraft Mill (BKM) to the Continuous Kraft Mill (CKM)
taking the Batch Kraft Mill offline

Latrobe City’s submission proposes:

Inclusion of the Amenity Lifestyle Precincts and Amenity Lifestyle Investigation Areas within the Planning Context of the application.

• Assessing the cumulative effects of air emissions, especially So2 emissions, from other developments in the region to ensure there is not a risk to human health.
• Discussion in the odour assessment about previous assessments undertaken to support Amendment C104 and C87 and outline any differences between that modelling and modelling undertaken as part of this assessment to greater understand any potential impacts. 
• Undertaking a noise assessment at each location to determine what the maximum noise level is at each of the sensitive receptors so the noise impacts on the community can be better understood.
• In addition, Latrobe City Council encourages ways to seek reduction in environmental impacts as technology improves.

Related Documents 

• Australian Paper Licence Submission

Consultation Period: Closed 27 August 2023

To follow a clear, consistent and open decision-making process, the Department of Environment, Energy and Climate Adaptation developed a draft Options Assessment Method (assessment method) – a decision-making tool that will be used to assess and decide on shortlisted project options for new transmission infrastructure for offshore wind in Gippsland and Portland. 

Latrobe City Council provides some comments around the proposed draft options assessment method, but specifically the submission focuses on: 

• Project objectives and guiding principles; and 
• Draft assessment criteria rating approach.

Related Documents

• Offshore Wind Transmission Submission

Consultation Period: Closed 17 February 2023

The guidelines seeks to support land use and development decisions that:

• protect human health and amenity from the effects of pollution and waste associated with the operation of industry and landfills
• protect industry and landfills from inappropriate land use and development nearby that may constrain operations.

Latrobe City’s submission provides some comments around the proposed guidelines, but specifically the submission focuses on:

• Justification, particularly for the proposed increase to the coal mine buffer from 1000m to 2000m; 
• Requirements on sensitive land use applicants; and
• Implementation. 

Related Documents 

• Separation Distances Guidelines Submission

Consultation Period: Closed 10 February 2023

The Department of Transport and Planning sought feedback on the review of the bushfire planning provisions. 

Latrobe City’s submission provided some comments around the proposed changes, specifically the submission focuses on: 

• Clause 13.02 proposed changes
• Clause 53.02 proposed changes;
• Other proposed changes
• Implementation

Related Documents 

• Bushfire Planning Provisions Submission

Consultation Period: Closed 20 August 2023

The strategy seeks to provide the vision for bushfire management in Victoria that clarifies where we as a state want to be in 10 years’ time, and how we can work together to get there.Latrobe City’s submission includes emergency management, planning and environment objectives and strategies. The submission specifically for planning details that further consideration is required for: 

• Additional bushfire overlays that simplify the controls for levels of bushfire risk;
• Consideration of stronger controls or alternate measures such as grants to retrofit dwellings.
• Additional resources for land use planning that provides clear and consistent advice on how to proceed for planning scheme amendments particularly for bushfire prone areas both through planning practice notes and additional resourcing at the CFA; and
• Access to data to allow land use planners to make informed decisions.

Related Documents

• Victorian Bushfire Risk Strategy Submission