The proposal
The proposal by Integrated Waste Services Pty Ltd is to develop an above ground balefill 50km north of Adelaide, total capacity 20,000,000 cubic metres.
Background
On 29 January 1998, the then Governor of South Australia approved the Integrated Waste Services (IWS) Northern Balefill (Dublin Landfill) a Major Development, after undergoing an Environmental Impact Statement (EIS) process under the former Development Act 1993.
The Development Authorisation comprised a change of land use to a waste management facility, in the form of a solid waste landfill and allowed for landfill cells to be opened, filled, closed and capped in a progressive manner.
On 8 September 2005 and 27 August 2010, further approvals were granted by the Governor to permit the receipt and disposal of low-level contaminated waste and permit the establishment of a Multiple Waste Treatment Facility for the treatment and disposal of high-level contaminated waste.
Variations to the Development Authorisation have also been granted for the implementation of a 10-year masterplan, establishment of a resources pad, bioremediation pad and litter net system (January 2013); modifications to landfill module 3 (May 2020); establishment of an additional bioremediation pad (December 2020), construction of a sorting and processing shed (December 2021), construction of an additional leachate basin (April 2023), and construction of staff facilities - two ancillary canopy structures (May 2023).
On 5 April 2023 IWS submitted an Amendment to the EIS seeking a variation to the development authorisation, to provide increased flexibility in future internal cell configuration and processing pad locations, an increase in permissible maximum landfill height (5 metre increase), removal of volumetric calculations and removal of prescriptive requirements for leachate extraction pumps.
The Amendment to the EIS underwent public exhibition, alongside council and state agency referral processes, during April-May 2023. No public submissions were received. In June 2023, the proponent submitted a Response Document that addressed matters raised by the state agency and council referral advice.
On 27 September 2023, the Minister for Planning varied the Development Authorisation in line with the Amendment to the EIS and Response Document, with an updated decision subject to conditions issued.
Assessment stages and documentation
| Stage | Date | Documentation |
|---|---|---|
Minister's decision (Final Development Approval: EIS Amendment – IWS Northern Balefill Facility) | 27 September 2023 | Decision notice (PDF, 128 KB) |
| Amendment to the Assessment Report by the State Planning Commission | 10 August 2023 | Amendment to the Assessment Report (PDF, 2105 KB) |
| Response Document | 9 June 2023 | Response Document (PDF, 1704 KB) |
| Release of public submissions | - | - |
| Decision (Final development authorisation: leachate pond and staff facilities) | 8 June 2023 | Decision notice (PDF, 213 KB) |
| Decision (Provisional development authorisation - staff facilities) | 8 May 2023 | Decision notice (PDF, 223 KB) |
| Decision (Provisional development authorisation - leachate basin) | 20 April 2023 | Decision notice (PDF, 206 KB) |
| Decision (Development approval - sorting and processing shed) | 19 April 2023 | Decision notice (PDF, 204 KB) |
| Amendment to the EIS | 5 April 2023 | EIS Amendment (PDF, 33906 KB) |
| Decision and approved plans | 3 December 2021 | Decision notice and approved plans (PDF, 7213 KB) |
| Development Authorisation | 14 May 2020 | Government Gazette dated 14 May 2020 |
| Development Authorisation | 24 January 2013 | Government Gazette dated 24 January 2013 |
| Variation application - 10 year masterplan (including resource pad infrastructure, loose filling modification, bioremediation pad and capping design) | 5 October 2012 | Variation report (PDF, 8350 KB) |
| Development Authorisation | 2 September 2010 | Government Gazette dated 2 September 2010 |
| Development Authorisation | 29 August 2009 | Government Gazette dated 29 August 2009 |
| Second Amendment to the Assessment Report | August 2009 | Second Amendment to the Assessment Report (PDF, 14194 KB) |
| Response Document | 3 April 2009 | Response Document (PDF, 249 KB) |
| Variation application - Multiple Waste Treatment Facility - EIS Amendment | 24 November 2008 | EIS Amendment (PDF, 12301 KB) |
| Decision | 29 August 2008 | |
| Variation application - facilities to treat contaminated materials | June 2008 | Variation application (PDF, 60791 KB) |
| Development Authorisation | 20 April 2006 | Government Gazette dated 20 April 2006 |
| Variation to Development Authorisation | 8 September 2005 | Government Gazette dated 8 September 2005 |
| Amendment to the Assessment Report | May 2005 | Amendment to the Assessment Report (PDF, 4347 KB) |
| Development Authorisation | 29 January 1998 | Government Gazette dated 29 January 1998 |
| Assessment Report | November 1997 | Assessment Report (PDF, 236 KB) |
| Guidelines | Guidelines (PDF, 445 KB) |
