Preliminary Site Investigations in Newcastle & Lake Macquarie

Confluence Environmental provides Preliminary Site Investigations (PSI) and contaminated land assessments throughout Newcastle, Lake Macquarie and the Hunter Region.

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

• Development Applications;

• rezoning and planning proposals;

• subdivision and redevelopment;

• commercial and industrial property acquisition;

• environmental due diligence; and

• sites with a potentially contaminating history.

Newcastle and Lake Macquarie have some of the most distinctive contaminated land issues in regional NSW. More than a century of coal mining, steelmaking, smelting, heavy industry, fuel storage, port activities, land reclamation and waste disposal has created a legacy that can still influence development projects today.

A PSI in this region therefore needs to do more than complete standard database searches.

The consultant needs to understand the local industrial history, areas of historical filling, known contamination sources, Council records and local planning requirements that can materially affect the scope of an investigation.

At Confluence Environmental, our objective is to identify the contamination issues that are genuinely relevant to your site and provide a clear answer about what needs to happen next.

If you have received a contamination-related request from Council, are preparing a Development Application or are considering purchasing a property, send us the site address and available planning information and we can help determine an appropriate investigation scope.

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

For a detailed explanation of the PSI process, see our Preliminary Site Investigation services across NSW.

Why Local Contaminated Land Experience Matters

A generic contaminated land assessment can miss important regional context.

A property may not be listed as a contaminated site and may show little evidence of contamination during a current site inspection, while still being affected by:

• historical industrial fill;

• slag;

• petroleum infrastructure;

• lead fallout;

• imported demolition material;

• former workshops;

• industrial activities on neighbouring land; or

• contamination that occurred decades before the current development.

Understanding those issues early can help avoid unexpected investigation, remediation or planning delays later in the project.

Our approach is to review the historical evidence, Council information and proposed development together so that the PSI focuses on credible contamination risks rather than theoretical possibilities.

Contaminated Land in Newcastle

Newcastle's industrial history is directly relevant to modern contaminated land assessment.

Historical industries have included brickworks, collieries, foundries, gasworks, smelters, steelworks, engineering facilities, fuel storage and heavy manufacturing.

Depending on the suburb and property history, a PSI may need to consider:

• industrial fill and slag;

• petroleum hydrocarbons associated with former depots and service stations;

• heavy metals;

• workshops and engineering facilities;

• coal-related industry;

• gasworks and combustion residues;

• asbestos-containing demolition material;

• reclaimed or historically filled land; and

• contamination migrating from adjoining properties.

For a developer or purchaser, identifying these issues during the preliminary stage can provide a much clearer picture of the property's environmental constraints before major design, acquisition or construction decisions are made.

Carrington – Historical Fill and Industrial Slag

Carrington is a good example of why local knowledge matters.

Parts of Carrington were historically low-lying and filled during the suburb's development. Historical fill can include ballast and industrial slag, with the potential for elevated concentrations of metals such as lead.

For some properties, contamination information may also be identified through the property's section 10.7 planning certificate or Council records.

A residential or commercial property may therefore appear unremarkable today while containing fill associated with Newcastle's historical industrial development.

Where excavation, subdivision or redevelopment is proposed, identifying the nature and extent of historical fill early can help determine whether further investigation or management is actually required.

If your Newcastle property contains historical fill or has been identified by Council as potentially contaminated, Confluence can review the available information and advise whether a PSI, targeted investigation or other assessment is appropriate.

Wickham – Petroleum and Industrial Land Uses

Wickham and surrounding areas also contain a long history of industrial and petroleum-related land uses.

Historical terminals, workshops, transport activities and fuel infrastructure can create contamination issues involving petroleum hydrocarbons, groundwater and potentially vapour.

This is an important consideration because a PSI should not only consider the history of the subject property.

Where relevant, the consultant also needs to consider credible off-site contamination sources and migration pathways.

A nearby former petroleum facility does not automatically mean a property is contaminated.

The question is whether there is a realistic pathway by which contamination could affect the site and whether that possibility matters to the proposed development.

This distinction is particularly important in established industrial areas where numerous historical activities may appear in environmental databases.

Mayfield and Former Steelmaking Land

The former BHP Newcastle Steelworks and surrounding industrial development are another important part of the region's contamination history.

Historical steelmaking activities included the production and handling of coke, iron and steel, together with extensive land reclamation and placement of process materials.

In former industrial areas, fill cannot therefore always be assumed to be ordinary imported soil.

Depending on the site history, investigation may need to consider:

• slag and industrial by-products;

• metals;

• hydrocarbons;

• asbestos-containing demolition material; and

• other contaminants associated with historical industrial use.

For redevelopment projects, understanding the origin and distribution of fill can significantly influence whether intrusive investigation is required and how it should be designed.

Lake Macquarie Has Its Own Contamination Legacy

Lake Macquarie has a different but equally significant contaminated land history.

Historical activities across the LGA include:

• coal mining;

• lead smelting;

• energy production;

• industrial manufacturing;

• fuel storage; and

• historical defence activities.

One of the most significant local contamination issues is associated with the former Pasminco Cockle Creek Smelter at Boolaroo.

For development projects in Lake Macquarie, a PSI needs to consider not only the previous use of the individual property, but also whether the property may have been affected by regional contamination sources or historical fill.

The Former Pasminco Cockle Creek Smelter

Historical lead-smelting operations at Boolaroo resulted in contamination extending beyond the former smelter site.

Two issues are particularly relevant to modern development:

Lead Fallout

Historical smelter emissions resulted in elevated lead concentrations in surface soils across parts of Boolaroo, Argenton and Speers Point.

For properties in affected areas, contamination assessment may need to consider:

• the property's location relative to the former smelter;

• Council contamination records;

• previous soil investigation;

• previous remediation; and

• the proposed land use.

This is particularly important where development involves residential land, childcare, excavation or other sensitive uses.

Pasminco Black Slag

Black slag generated by the former smelter was also historically distributed and used as fill.

This issue is not necessarily confined to properties immediately adjoining the smelter.

Black slag may occur on properties elsewhere in Lake Macquarie where it was historically used as fill or landscaping material.

Where encountered, the material can contain elevated concentrations of metals including lead.

For property owners and developers, identifying slag before excavation can be important because it may affect:

• soil management;

• disposal requirements;

• remediation;

• construction methodology; and

• project cost.

A PSI can help establish whether historical slag use is a credible issue before intrusive work begins.

Lake Macquarie Council Contamination Records

Lake Macquarie City Council maintains a developed system for recording contaminated and potentially contaminated land.

Properties may carry contamination notations reflecting whether land is:

• known to be contaminated;

• potentially contaminated;

• previously remediated;

• previously investigated; or

• demonstrated to be below relevant investigation thresholds.

This information can materially affect the scope of a development assessment.

A property that has already been appropriately investigated may require less additional work.

Conversely, a property identified as potentially contaminated may require further assessment before Council can determine whether the proposed development is appropriate.

For this reason, we recommend providing your section 10.7 planning certificate, Council correspondence and previous environmental reports when requesting a PSI proposal.

This allows us to consider existing information before recommending additional investigation.

Lake Macquarie's Standard RAP for Pasminco-Affected Residential Land

Lake Macquarie also has a specific remediation framework for certain residential properties affected by lead fallout or Pasminco black slag.

Council's Standard Remedial Action Plan provides established management pathways for eligible properties.

This is a good example of why local contaminated land knowledge can make a practical difference.

A generic consultant may approach the property as an entirely new contamination problem.

A consultant familiar with the Lake Macquarie framework can first consider whether an established Council remediation pathway already applies.

That can help avoid unnecessary duplication of work and provide the project team with a clearer pathway forward.

Newcastle Council Contaminated Land Requirements

City of Newcastle maintains its own Contaminated Land Policy and Contaminated Land Management Technical Manual.

For development projects, these documents can affect:

• the type of contaminated land report required;

• reporting format;

• investigation expectations; and

• technical review requirements.

City of Newcastle also requires contaminated land reports submitted for assessment to be prepared, or reviewed and approved, by an appropriately qualified and certified environmental consultant.

This can include practitioners holding specialist CEnvP Site Contamination (CEnvP-SC) or CPSS CSAM certification.

Identifying that requirement before the investigation begins is important.

Where certified review is only discovered after a report has already been completed, an external reviewer may need to retrospectively assess the investigation and may identify additional work that is required before they can support the report.

At Confluence Environmental, we regularly involve CEnvP(SC) and CPSS CSAM practitioners in the technical review of our contaminated land work, including where formal certified endorsement is not specifically required.

This helps identify potential issues before reports reach Council or another reviewing authority.

Newcastle and Lake Macquarie Planning Context

Development in Newcastle and Lake Macquarie operates within the broader NSW contaminated land planning framework.

Relevant planning instruments include:

Newcastle Local Environmental Plan 2012

Lake Macquarie Local Environmental Plan 2014

together with the relevant Development Control Plans, contaminated land policies and State Environmental Planning Policy (Resilience and Hazards) 2021.

The practical point for a developer or planner is that the contamination assessment required for one property may be very different from another property of the same size.

The appropriate scope can depend on:

• historical land use;

• Council contamination records;

• section 10.7 information;

• nearby known contamination sources;

• historical fill;

• proposed development;

• sensitivity of the future land use; and

• previous investigation or remediation.

This is why we develop PSI scopes around the specific site and planning context, rather than applying a generic investigation package.

Our Newcastle and Lake Macquarie PSI Experience

Confluence Environmental undertakes Preliminary Site Investigations for commercial, industrial, residential and development projects throughout Newcastle, Lake Macquarie and the Hunter.

Our local contaminated land work has included:

• commercial and industrial redevelopment;

• former workshops;

• sites containing historical fill;

• former fuel infrastructure;

• residential and subdivision projects;

• property due diligence;

• government and infrastructure work; and

• properties requiring further investigation following historical land-use review.

Our consultants understand that the value of a PSI is not simply producing another report.

The objective is to identify the issues that genuinely matter to the project and provide clear advice on what needs to happen next.

Why Engage Confluence Environmental?

Local Contaminated Land Knowledge

We understand the contamination issues that are particularly relevant to Newcastle and Lake Macquarie, including industrial fill, slag, former petroleum infrastructure, Pasminco-related lead contamination and Council-specific contaminated land requirements.

Proportionate Investigation

We do not recommend further investigation simply because a historical industrial activity appears in a database.

We assess whether a credible contamination source, pathway and receptor relationship exists and whether the remaining uncertainty actually matters to the proposed development.

Strong Technical Quality Assurance

Our contaminated land reports undergo technical review appropriate to the complexity of the project.

We regularly involve CEnvP(SC) and CPSS CSAM practitioners in our technical quality assurance process, including where certified endorsement is not expressly required.

Clear Advice for Development Projects

We understand that our clients need more than environmental terminology.

They need to know:

Is there a contamination issue?

Does it affect the development?

What needs to happen next?

What could it mean for programme and cost?

Our reports are prepared to answer those questions clearly.

Preliminary Site Investigations Across Newcastle, Lake Macquarie and the Hunter

Confluence Environmental provides contaminated land consulting throughout:

Newcastle
Wickham, Carrington, Mayfield, Broadmeadow, Wallsend and surrounding areas.

Lake Macquarie
Boolaroo, Argenton, Speers Point, Charlestown, Cardiff, Belmont, Toronto, Morisset and surrounding suburbs.

Hunter and Port Stephens
Maitland, Thornton, Cessnock, Singleton, Muswellbrook, Tomago, Heatherbrae, Raymond Terrace and surrounding areas.

For larger development, infrastructure and due diligence projects, our team can also mobilise throughout regional NSW.

Need a Preliminary Site Investigation in Newcastle or Lake Macquarie?

If you are:

• preparing a Development Application;

• responding to a Council contamination request;

• rezoning or subdividing land;

• purchasing a commercial or industrial property;

• redeveloping historically industrial land; or

• unsure whether contamination may affect your project,

send us:

• the property address;

• proposed development;

• Council correspondence;

• section 10.7 planning certificate where available; and

• any previous environmental reports.

We can review the available information and provide a project-specific investigation scope.

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

For more information on how the assessment process works, see our Preliminary Site Investigation services across NSW.