Maryvale Pulp & Paper Mill Buffer

Overview

The Maryvale Mill is the largest employer in the Latrobe Valley and has been in operation since 1938. The nature of the major manufacturing activities has required an appropriate buffer zone be provided, to ensure that noise and odour do not cause amenity issues to local residents. The buffer zone has been gradually eroded over time by the growth of Morwell and Traralgon. The Mill has gone to extraordinary lengths and cost to mitigate the obnoxious odours they once produced, however in spite of the upgrade works, emissions from the Mill, though reduced, continue to cause offensive odour that prompts complaints. The future of the Mill was at risk, arising from the inevitable increase in residential complaints due to housing proximity, increasing expectations for amenity, and the ensuing restrictions placed by the EPA on Mill operations.

Work Undertaken

Australian Paper engaged Beveridge Williams to assist with implementing a transparent planning boundary to control further encroachment of sensitive uses.

Amendment C87 to the Latrobe Planning Scheme implemented an Environmental Significance Overlay (ESO) over land surrounding the Mill, as a statutory buffer. The buffer does not reduce Australian Paper’s responsibility to meet all of its EPA licensing and other legislative requirements relating to factory impacts on surrounding land. Still, it identifies the presence of potential amenity concerns, discourages the establishment of inappropriate sensitive land uses that may be incompatible with factory operations, and where practical, requires consideration of potential methods that could be employed in the construction of buildings for sensitive uses that minimise amenity impacts on occupants. The buffer was drafted such that it had no impact on existing buildings and works in the buffer area.

Beveridge Williams continues to provide town planning advice to Australian Paper (now known as Opal), in the ongoing maintenance of the buffer.