Gorilla Arts – Kilkenny Community Hall Meeting 17th October 2017

Panel:
Craig Daniel, City of Charles Sturt Urban Projects Department
Peter Gregg, Landowner of the former Bianco site and a lot more surrounding land
Brett Pfeffer, Principal Industry Adviser with SafeWork SA
Kelly McGorm, Author of a recent Change.org petition
Sarah Dugdale, Westside Bicycle User Group, which commissioned an asbestos surveyaround M.J. McInerney Reserve

Meeting management by Tracey Davis and Eugene Suleau of Gorilla Arts - Kilkenny

About 60 other people attended, there was standing room only by the time the meeting started.

Craig Daniel, City of Charles Sturt Urban Projects Department, gave background information about the state planning system. The former Bianco site is zoned industrial; the same as the Owens Illinois (OI) glass factory. There was a recent change of zoning at the behest of Council to a new category of “employment zone”, which is similar to industrial zoning except allowing for more bulk handling jobs. This does not permit residential development.

Craig explained how development and zoning applications are linked. OI is able to question the impact of broadbrush proposals for development, before more formalised proposals are made and made available for public consultation. Craig contrasted the situation here with that at Bowden, where the minister purchased the land and then rezoned it as “mixed”. He explained that if such rezoning was attempted here, OI have indicated concerns about impact on its operations, even though existing industry in the area would be exempted from the effects of rezoning away from industrial. OI has raised concerns about the effects of increased residential development on the number of complaints about noise and fumes from OI’s operations. It has required modelling to be performed for the effect of having three stacks operational (although just one is used currently).

In this instance, the EPA (Environmental Protection Agency) and DPTI (Department of Planning, Transport and Infrastructure) are the key agencies with statutory powers to rezone this area. Minister Hunter and Minister Rau are responsible for these portfolios respectively.

Peter Gregg, Landowner of the former Bianco site and surrounding land totalling 34000m2, said OI is expressing great concern about such risks to its business. It requested modelling of impacts as far as the old Shearer site, even though wind direction is predominantly away from the former Bianco site end of his property. Modelling costs are onerous. Peter is reluctant to spend approximately$1.6 million dollars clearing the old site until he has greater assurance of some return on his investment in the near future.

In 2006, Peter was approached by the State Government about the possibility of using his property for a TOD (Transit Oriented Development). Federal Government also supported an Australian Defence Force housing development with around 40 homes valued at around $650k each. Council approved of thisbut O-I expressed concern that more residents would bring greater risks to its business and a loss of jobs; development has been ‘on hold’ since. Interestingly, there have been job losses at OI anyway, associated with rationalising in the face of competition and changes in the transport of wine from using bottles to using huge casks (and bottling elsewhere, e.g. in China).
This is Peter’s third public meeting about what to do with the site in the last eight years. The sticking point seems to be only with the OI concerns of effects on its business. If or when it becomes worthwhile for Peter to lodge a development application, there would be a community consultation period of two months. Peter outlined his vision for the development to include cafes, an IGA, extending the bicycle track, walkways, etc. It would revitalise the area. All new developments need to have a proportion of affordable housing and green-space. There are no concrete plans, but any housing would be no higher than two stories. Initial plans some 9 years ago indicated 8 stories and all at the meeting, including Peter, agreed there was no place for such a development in Kilkenny.

Peter said that OI has seemed more communicative over the past eight months. OI has hindered progress previously by concerns about air quality and noise upsetting people in new residences, but Peter has finally obtained from OI its own data that shows it is complying with the required regulations, so that no longer seems a valid objection. In a few weeks’ time, Peter will be meeting with OI again and the CEO of the EPA will be in attendance. The proposed solution is that OI are given a term sheet/checklist of compliance regulations. If these are met, then new residents to the proposed housing development would have no grounds for complaint and the EPA would uphold this to assure the security of OI business.

Brett Pfeffer, Principal Industry Adviser with SafeWork SA,explained that there are three types of asbestos, friable, non-friable and naturally occurring. Non-friable (including white asbestos) is thought to be the type of asbestos in the former Bianco site. It is usually well-bonded with cement.

DISCUSSION

On 23rdSeptember 2017, Damien Day, an asbestos assessor, surveyed air around the perimeter of the Bianco building on the reserve on behalf of the Westside Bicycle User Group.

This survey showed the lowest reportable level (<0.01 fibres/ml) and no cause for concern. However, it was agreed that this does not preclude the possibility of asbestos being in the area at a different time or position. Further monitoring may be conducted on the side of Pinda and Wilpena Streets.

Peter Gregg thought asbestos was limited to roofing and Brett Pfeffer did not think there was a great risk to the public outside of the premises. However, it was acknowledged that there may be more asbestos. Also, it had not been reasonably practicable to prevent all would-be intruders to the former Bianco site, and they would be subjecting themselves (and maybe others)to increased risk through their actions.Security and fencing costshave been prohibitive, at around $2,000 per month.

In response to concerns from the floor, Peter agreed to formally request Brett at SafeWork SAto visually survey asbestos on his property. Although the reportwould then be provided to Peter in confidence, Peter said he would make it availableto Tracey Davis for distribution to members of Gorilla Arts and other attendees of the meeting who had provided their email addresses, etc.

The meeting then retired for refreshment and did not reconvene as a formal meeting.