Preliminary Site Investigations - Coffs Harbour

Confluence Environmental provides Preliminary Site Investigations (PSI) and contaminated land assessments throughout Coffs Harbour and the surrounding Mid North Coast.

We assist developers, planners, property owners and project teams with assessments for:

• Development Applications;

• subdivision and redevelopment;

• rezoning and planning proposals;

• rural and agricultural land;

• commercial and industrial properties; and

• property acquisition and environmental due diligence.

Coffs Harbour has a distinctive contamination history, particularly due to former banana cultivation, agricultural chemical use, historical filling, fuel storage and older commercial or industrial activities.

A PSI should therefore consider both the history of the individual property and the local planning and contamination information held by Council.

If Council has requested a contamination assessment, or you are planning to develop or purchase a site, send us the property address and available planning information and we can advise on an appropriate investigation scope.

Call 1300 855 447 or request a proposal from our contaminated land team.

For more information about the overall investigation process, see our Preliminary Site Investigation services across NSW.

Coffs Harbour Planning and Contaminated Land Requirements

Development across much of the Coffs Harbour LGA is governed by the Coffs Harbour Local Environmental Plan 2013 and Coffs Harbour Development Control Plan 2015. The DCP contains contaminated-land controls requiring development on contaminated or potentially contaminated land to address the relevant contaminated-land provisions.

City of Coffs Harbour also maintains a dedicated Contaminated Land Policy and Procedure and recommends specialist contaminated-land advice where development involves contaminated or historically contaminating land.

For clients, the practical question is not simply whether a site is listed as contaminated.

It is whether its history, Council records and proposed use indicate that contamination requires further assessment.

Former Banana-Growing Land

Former banana cultivation is one of the most important local contamination issues in Coffs Harbour.

Council specifically maps historical banana cultivation from 1943–1994 and provides this information through its online mapping system.

Older banana-growing land may require consideration of historical pesticide and agricultural chemical use, particularly where land is being converted to residential, childcare or another more sensitive use.

This does not mean every former banana plantation is contaminated.

A PSI considers:

• how the land was historically used;

• the extent and duration of agricultural activities;

• chemical storage or mixing areas;

• previous investigation data;

• the proposed development; and

• whether intrusive investigation is warranted.

That local history can materially change the scope of a development assessment.

Other Common Coffs Harbour Contamination Issues

Depending on the property, a PSI may also need to consider:

• imported or uncontrolled fill;

• former workshops and vehicle maintenance;

• fuel storage and service stations;

• agricultural chemical storage;

• demolition material and asbestos;

• former commercial or industrial activities; and

• surrounding potentially contaminating land uses.

Historical land use is particularly important because the current appearance of a property may provide little indication of activities that occurred decades earlier.

Why Engage Confluence Environmental?

Confluence Environmental focuses on proportionate, site-specific contaminated land assessment.

We review the property history, Council information and proposed development together to determine which contamination issues genuinely matter to the project.

Our contaminated-land reports undergo technical quality assurance appropriate to the complexity of the investigation, and we regularly involve CEnvP Site Contamination (CEnvP-SC) and CPSS CSAM practitioners in the review of our work.

Our aim is to provide a clear answer to three questions:

Is there a credible contamination issue?

Does it affect the proposed development?

What, if anything, needs to happen next?

Need a Preliminary Site Investigation in Coffs Harbour?

If you are preparing a Development Application, subdivision, rezoning or property transaction, send us:

• the site address;

• proposed development;

• Council correspondence; and

• any previous environmental reports.

We can review the available information and provide a project-specific Preliminary Site Investigation scope.

Call Confluence Environmental on 1300 855 447 or request a proposal from our contaminated land team.

For more information about the investigation process, see our Preliminary Site Investigation services across NSW.