Bengalla Mine Environmental Impact Statement (1993) - Part 1 of 3

2:25
No passenger trains run on the line.
2.13 LAND ZONING AND PLANNING
The proposed Bengalla Mine development is located approximately 3 km west of Muswellbrook township and
lies within the Muswellbrook Council Local Government Area. The provisions of three environmental planning
instruments apply to the subject land; the Muswellbrook Local Environmental Plan 1985, the Hunter Regional
Environmental Plan 1989 and the Hunter Regional Environmental Plan 1989 - Heritage. The Bengalla Mine
project has been reviewed in light of these relevant planning instruments and is considered to comply in all
respects.
Muswellbrook Local Environmental Plan 1985
The local government land use zonings which apply to the project area are shown in Figure 2.14.
The area to be affected by open cut mining and surface facilities is zoned 1 (a) Rural "A" and 7 (L1)
Environment Protection General "L1" (Alluvial Area). A corridor of Zone No. 5 (b) Special Uses (Railways)
passes through the subject area and will not be affected by the mine development except where the mine rail
loop joins the existing Muswellbrook - Ulan Railway line.
The objectives of Zone No. 1 (a) include the intention that actual or potential productive land should not be
withdrawn from production. Objective (d) relating to Zone No. 1 (a) land specifically encourages mining to
occur in an environmentally acceptable manner. Mining is a permissible form of development within this zone,
subject to Development Consent being obtained.
The objectives of Zone No. 7 (L1) are generally to ensure that prime alluvial and agricultural land is preserved
for agricultural use and that developments of a non-agricultural nature will result in minimal environmental
impact.
Provision exists within Clause 17 (2)(b) of Muswellbrook Local Environmental Plan 1985 for consent to be
granted for mining development in the 7 (L1) zone, provided the various conditions in Clauses 17, 34 (l)(b) and
35 are satisfied. These conditions relate to Council's assessment of likely environmental impact resulting from
the development, whether the development is permissible in an adjoining rural zone and whether the land is
genuinely a physical part of the alluvial plain. The proposed development is considered to meet the
BENGALLA EIS. F156
NOVEMBER 1993