Expansion project

Works to expand Council's only landfill at Awaba Waste Management Facility (AWMF) are now complete. The expansion project increased landfill space by 2.5 million tonnes and extended the lifespan of the facility.

The expansion involved:

• the construction of two additional excavated landfill cells
• the continual placement of waste over the active landfill area
• the construction of a pipeline between the facility and Hunter Water Corporation's Wastewater Pump Station at Rathmines for leachate disposal.

Existing onsite facilities were also upgraded as part of the project including:

• a new weighbridge
• Community Recycling Centre and amenities building
• a waste transfer station to aid efficiency and limit vehicle traffic at the tip face.

A Biodiversity Offset Strategy was developed to comply with the Environment Protection and Biodiversity Conservation Act 1999 approval of the Awaba Waste Management Facility. Council manages the Awaba Biodiversity Conservation Area to compensate for the loss of Tetratheca juncea plants arising from the construction of the facility. The Biodiversity Offset Strategy has been approved and implemented, with the offset area protected by a restrictive covenant on the land title, and the land managed by Council in accordance with the Awaba Biodiversity Conservation Area Plan of Management 2015. Council has also complied with relevant notification requirements of the approval, including providing information on our website.

Site plan

Project background

In June 2012, based on engineering and financial analysis, Council resolved to pursue a development application to expand the capacity of the landfill facility within the current property boundary.

In May 2013, Council's application to expand AWMF was approved by the NSW Planning Assessment Commission.

To review the Department of Planning and Infrastructures assessment, visit planning.nsw.gov.au.

Supporting information