The environmental health investigations are now complete and involved extensive and best practice assessment of the allowable lawful combined impacts from Special and High impact industries in the Narangba Innovation Precinct (East) with respect to air quality, noise, human health and fire and explosion safety.

The investigations considered both environmental health (serious and material environmental harm matters) and environmental nuisance (amenity matters) and provided a contemporary and robust evidence-base to specifically inform future land use planning policy. The environmental health investigations have been one of the most comprehensive completed for an industrial precinct by a local government in Queensland.

SLR Consulting an independent expert consultant undertook the environmental health investigations and reached the following conclusion, which has informed the nature and details of the proposed planning scheme amendment:

"The findings of the technical investigations indicate that cumulative existing Precinct emissions and impacts from Special and High impact industries are not having far-ranging substantial or adverse effects on surrounding areas. However, minor localised impacts are occurring (primarily from particulate matter (i.e. fine solid and liquid particles in the air) and odour, and to a far lesser degree noise) that will require more specific consideration in the future to ensure potential impacts and nuisance are closely managed and nearby sensitive land uses are protected. Given this, it is concluded that opportunities may therefore exist for new and expanding industries to establish in Precinct (East), provided that future development can demonstrate that risks and impacts can be managed in a way that does not increase or worsen precinct emissions and impacts currently experienced (i.e. PM2.5, PM10, SO2, odour and noise impacts) and that fire and explosion risks are addressed."(Environmental Health Investigation Findings Summary Report, SLR Consulting Australia Pty Ltd, page 69)

The Summary Report should be referred to for a more complete understanding of the investigations and their findings.

The environmental health investigations confirmed that Council can more actively support Special industry within a defined area of the Narangba Innovation Precinct (east of the Bruce Highway), provided a conservative and holistic approach to assessing impacts and managing future development proposals is adopted. Future development will need to comply with strict standards from a whole of precinct perspective (individual development proposal combined with baseline emissions from existing approved Special and High impact industries) so cumulative impacts are closely managed and nearby sensitive land uses are protected.

Continuing to restrict Special industries entirely (as per the current planning scheme policy settings) presents a significant barrier to industrial land supply for this purpose and discourages future investment and business growth in the precinct. Enabling growth and investment in the Special and High impact industries would not only generate significant economic and employment opportunities for the city, but also provide opportunity for existing industries to improve their infrastructure and environmental systems by investing in newer, cleaner and greener technologies that minimise their impacts and emissions.

Investigations focused on understanding the collective impact from the existing approved and licenced industrial activities in the study area. This was to assess and understand the impact if all those industries were operating in a way that reached the maximum limits of their existing approvals and licences.

If you have concerns about industry compliance with environmental licences or environmental nuisance (such as odour) please refer to the State Government’s information on reporting environmental nuisance or call the Pollution Hotline on 1300 130 372.

The environmental health investigations were one part of the Narangba Innovation Precinct Study. The other part, the economic value investigation, was completed and report released in 2022.

Together the investigations have helped Council better understand the precinct and have informed the nature and details of the proposed amendment to the MBRC Planning Scheme 2016 - ‘Major Amendment No.5 - Narangba Innovation Precinct (East) TLPI Response’.

The proposed amendment is now following the statutory process, set by State Government legislation.