A STATE Government proposal to soften development restrictions associated with a major Gawler East gas pipeline will subject nearby residents to “significant and entirely avoidable risk”, the pipeline operator has warned.
Gawler Council is currently negotiating the terms of a new Gawler East Structure Plan Development Plan Amendment (DPA) with the government, which intends to update development plan policies affecting Gawler’s surrounding suburbs of Evanston, Evanston Gardens, Evanston South, Evanston Park and Hillier.
Traversing those suburbs is SEA Gas’ Port Campbell to Adelaide high pressure gas pipeline, which currently transports roughly 50 per cent of South Australia’s gas demand from sources in south west Victoria.
Presently, any development, including residential, near to the pipeline must adhere to Australian Standard (AS) 2885 regulations, which contains “robust processes for assessing risks to public safety, the environment and security of gas supply”.
As per the standards, development within 640m of the pipeline must first be referred to the Department of Energy and Mining, and then SEA Gas for consideration.
However, in a letter to Gawler Council in March, planning minister Stephan Knoll recommended all reference to AS 2885 be removed from the DPA as it is “subject to change” as per the State Government’s impending Planning and Design Code.
It is anticipated the Code will replace all development plans across the state by mid-2020.
“Whilst it is acknowledged that reference to the 640m measurement length already exists within the development plan, by continuing this practice it does not recognise that this policy is subject to change,” Mr Knoll wrote.
“Further, there is concern about including reference to the Australian Standards as they only apply to the gas pipeline operator.
“By referencing the standards, it may be construed that the onus is on the developer to comply with the requirements.”
Mr Knoll recommended the DPA instead, more simply, state development in the vicinity of the pipeline “not affect the continued operation of the pipeline infrastructure” and “be located, designed, and developed having regard to the location of the infrastructure and the potential public safety impacts”.
SEA Gas chief executive Wendy Oldham said the standards are in place to ensure “risk has been reduced to as low as reasonably practicable”, and removing them before the new Code is in place would be “premature”.
“We see it as being fundamental to good planning…that development should only be approved once the requirement for additional risk mitigation has been determined in accordance with AS 2885 and has been accepted by the stakeholders impacted,” she said.
“The changes will present a significant and entirely avoidable risk to both the safety of pipeline operations and potentially the residents of the newly-established homes.
“Amongst other things, the changes fail to reflect the existing conditions associated with a current operating pipeline.
“We recommend that the proposed changes are not adopted.”
Last fortnight, Gawler councillors agreed to mayor Karen Redman writing to Mr Knoll expressing concerns about removing references to AS 2885 from the DPA, and recommending they be retained.
