Cairnlea

Remediation is required to deliver a cleaner, safer and more sustainable environment due to its former use as an explosives factory, and to prepare the site for future use.

Remediation will involve the removal of affected soil. The soil will be taken offsite via direct excavation to a waste facility, or it will be cleaned up on site using bio-remediation processes.

Works are expected to commence in late 2024 and be completed by December 2025.

The land is zoned for residential use and should be remediated to a suitable standard for future homes. Development Victoria is committed to ensuring the final stage of Cairnlea is safe for future residential development regardless of the decision made through the Planning Scheme Amendment process.

As remediation works are not associated with the current Planning Scheme Amendment process, they can commence now that relevant remediation approvals have been granted.

As Development Victoria has successfully transformed Cairnlea into a thriving suburb over the past 20 years, we believe it is our responsibility to safely deliver these important works to ensure the site is suitable for residential development.

Yes. As the suburb of Cairnlea has been progressively developed (from the late 1990s), the areas where affected soil were present were safely remediated to a safe standard for the proposed land use. This included previous remediation of this site in 2001 managed by Development Victoria to enable commercial use. These works ensured there is no risk from its former land use as an Explosives Factory.

In the original Cairnlea Master Plan, developed in the 1990s, this final stage of development (the current Cairnlea Project site) was originally planned to be a business precinct. A higher standard of remediation is required for residential land uses versus commercial land uses.

EnviroPacific has been engaged to undertake the remediation works on behalf of Development Victoria. With over 20 years’ experience, EnviroPacific has delivered some of Victoria’s most significant environmental remediation projects including the recent Fitzroy Gasworks Remediation, and Tottenham Warehouse Fire Clean-Up.

We also have engaged Environmental Engineers who have developed the remediation strategy for the site. They will be supervising and validating the remediation works undertaken by EnviroPacific.

A representative from Tetra Tech Coffey will be the independent, Environment Protection Authority (EPA) accredited Environmental Auditor for the works.

Significant investigations have been undertaken at the site and have identified the following primary contaminants present on the site due to its historical use as an Explosives Factory:

• demolition rubble
• asbestos (non-friable)
• polyaromatic hydrocarbons (chemicals produced during the incomplete burning of fuels, waste, or other organic substances)
• metals
• nitroaromatics (organic material commonly used in explosives).

Remediation activities on site will include:

• excavation of selected areas of soil
• removal of soil from site in covered trucks
• stockpiling of soil on site for treatment.

You will see large trucks and excavation equipment on site. The remediation contractor will also establish several temporary site sheds on the site.

The environmental impacts of the works will be actively managed and monitored through the implementation of an Environmental Management Plan (EMP).

The EMP will outline the controls to be put in place and in general will cover the below elements:

• Land disturbance including erosion and sediment control devices;
• Stockpile management including the use of tarpaulins, as required;
• Dust and odour control during excavation, stockpiling and truck loading works;
• Asbestos management, including monitoring of any potential airborne fibres will be managed by an independent hygienist in line with WorkSafe requirements. Note that our investigations show no friable asbestos products have been identified on site;
• Management and control of noise and vibration during operating hours;
• Air quality during excavation, stockpiling and truck loading works; and
• Keeping the site secure and clean of litter.

If you have questions about these works you can call 03 8317 3400 or email cairnlea@development.vic.gov.au.

The Environment Protection Authority Victoria (EPA) is Victoria’s environmental regulator, responsible for ensuring remediation is undertaken in accordance with strict regulations of the Environment Protection Act 2017.

An Environmental Auditor has been appointed to undertake an independent review of the condition of the site and form an opinion and audit report regarding its suitability for residential development.

Find out more on the EPA website .

The remediation has been designed on the basis that no ongoing management will be required after the remediation works have been completed.

However, if any ongoing management is necessary, the Environmental Audit will identify this and outline any requirements that must be implanted as part of the statutory Environmental Audit for that area.

Yes, you can. The remediation plan is developed so residents can safely use the land for common activities like growing vegetables and digging a garden.

Trees will not be removed during remediation activities unless absolutely necessary. In accordance with our Planning Permit, any trees that are removed will be offered to a conservation management organisation.

No, any threatened grass species or habitat for Striped Legless Lizard on site will not be impacted by the remediation. The remediation works will be located away from threatened species habitat and will be fenced.

Yes, the Environment Protection Authority Victoria (EPA) publishes Audit Reports on its website. You can access Environmental Audit Reports and supporting documents which outline the current contamination status of the site prior to further assessment, remediation and validation works planned for 2024-25 to support the future use.

They include information on:

• Contaminant types.
• Areas and depths of contaminants.
• Post remediation sampling results.
• Ongoing monitoring and management requirements.

For more information contact the EPA on 1300 372 842 (1300 EPA VIC) or contact@epa.vic.gov.au.