The Environment Protection Authority (EPA) Victoria has officially published the update of the Separation Distance and landfill buffer guidelines. These are two important documents that are aimed to town planners, industrial and residential developers and industrial contractors. The documents try to answer the important question: Are these odour concentrations in the background going to limit the uses of this development?
A developer is preparing a proposal for the development of several residential dwellings that are located 600 metres from an existing industrial facility. The recommended separation distance from this facility is 500 metres. Will this proposal be approved? This and other questions are thoroughly addressed in the updated Separation Distance and the landfill buffer guidelines.
The new Separation Distance Guideline replaces the previous publication, Recommended Separation Distances for Industrial Residual Air Emissions (EPA publication 1518), while the Landfill Buffer Guideline supersedes Assessing Planning Proposals within the Buffer of a Landfill (EPA publication 1642) and relevant sections of the Siting, Design, Operation and Rehabilitation of Landfills (Landfill BPEM, EPA publication 788.3).
The guideline has some very important definitions. The Separation Distance is "The distance required between incompatible land uses (e.g., industrial and sensitive uses) to mitigate adverse health or amenity impacts. It guides planning decisions regarding land use suitability." On the other side, the Threshold Distance is a measurement that triggers further assessment of potential impacts (like noise and hazardous pollutants) as defined in the Victoria Planning Provisions. Last, a Buffer is an area of land used to separate incompatible uses, which can include multiple separation distances based on different risks. Buffers facilitate compatible land use without halting development.
The EPA considered feedback from over 100 submissions in developing these guidelines, with all comments reviewed thoroughly. A detailed report addressing these public comments is available on the Engage Victoria website.
The guidelines come with the following resources:
- Supporting Information: EPA Separation Distance Guideline and Landfill Buffer Guideline.
- Response to Public Comments: Separation Distance Guideline and Landfill Buffer Guideline.
These updated guidelines offer recommendations for separation distances between industrial land uses that emit odour or dust and sensitive areas. They include guidance on how to adjust these separation distances as needed.
These guidelines aim to assist planning decision-makers, local and state government agencies, industry professionals, developers, and communities in making informed land use decisions under the Victorian Planning and Environment Act 1987 and the Victorian Environment Protection Act 2017.
The EPA will host a webinar to provide an overview of the key changes to the guidelines and answer any questions. Details of this event will be announced in the coming weeks.
Access the guidelines here: EPA Guidelines
