Gold Coast City Council’s proposed Advanced Resource Recovery Centre (ARRC) has reached a significant milestone following its endorsement of the Local Government Infrastructure Designation (LGID) for the precinct at Stapylton.
LGID is a planning pathway that allows certain essential infrastructure projects in Queensland to be assessed by the State and designated by Council.
It is designed for infrastructure considered important to the community or region, while still requiring environmental assessment, technical studies and other opportunities for public consultation.
Gold Coast Mayor and ARRC Chair, Tom Tate said the designation showed the city was planning decades ahead.
“This is one of the most important infrastructure projects our city will ever deliver and today locks in the planning framework to make it happen,” Mayor Tate said.
“Our region is running out of landfill and we need a modern solution that recovers more, buries less and keeps the Gold Coast ahead of its growth.
“This milestone should give our community real confidence in the rigour behind it.”
ARRC Gold Coast CEO, Grant Gabriel said the designation was an important step in the city establishing the ARRC precinct.
“The LGID gives us the planning framework to deliver Council’s master plan vision for the precinct,” Mr Gabriel said.
“Further work will be required as each individual facility is brought forward, but this designation sets the foundation.”
The milestone comes with the precinct’s Commonwealth environmental assessment also in its final stages.
Public consultation on the project’s final environmental documentation under national environment law closed on 17 July, with submissions now being addressed before the documentation goes to the Federal Environment Minister for a decision.
“While the LGID is an important planning milestone, ARRC will continue to be subject to ongoing environmental approvals, licensing requirements and regulatory oversight as planning and delivery activities continue,” Mr Gabriel said.
Once complete, the ARRC precinct will increase resource recovery, reduce the city’s reliance on landfill and support a more circular economy for the Gold Coast and broader South East Queensland.
