State Planning Commission boss rejects SEA Gas pipeline worry about Springwood at Gawler

A $500m housing project at Gawler can go ahead despite a big gas pipeline. The Planning Commission chief says safety concerns are tied to commercial interests.

Moves to stall parts of a $500m housing development near Gawler are likely based on protecting commercial interests, the State Planning Commission says.

The development, called Springwood, has been challenged on safety grounds by the operators of one of South Australia’s two major gas pipelines.

The operator, SEA Gas, has lodged a case in the Supreme Court over the approval process and warned about dangers of building near its pipeline.

As previously reported by The Advertiser, SEA Gas and the Gawler Council have long raised safety concerns.

The development, called Springwood, has been challenged on safety grounds by the operators of one of South Australia’s two major gas pipelines.

Last year, SEA Gas conducted tests on the risk of earthmoving equipment to rupture the line.

It has now warned that major valves on the pipeline have vents for maintenance or emergency.

“Noise from venting in an emergency is extreme – the equivalent of standing close to the blast of a jet engine – and can continue for a duration of at least an hour,” a SEA Gas spokeswoman said on Thursday.

“We have indicated to the State Commission Assessment Panel that siting of the proposed development close to the mainline valve facility could potentially cause substantial to severe adverse health effects.”

The development was conditionally approved by SCAP in February.

More than 1400 homes are planned as well as village with retail, primary school and other facilities. It would support 1000 construction jobs and more than 100 ongoing roles in retail.

The development returned to SCAP on Wednesday with some revisions to matters such as traffic flow and timing and was again approved.

State Planning Commission chair Michael Lennon

State Planning Commission chairman Michael Lennon said it was not unusual for SCAP to receive submissions from companies wanting “to protect and advance their interests”.

“There are commercial issues at play in a number of respects here,” he told ABC radio.

“SEA Gas is private corporation with its own interests, Springwood is a land developer.

“So you can expect that around the approval process, it’s often the case that different interests become immersed in the way in which decisions are being made.”

Mr Lennon said he wanted to assure the public “that there are Australian standards that govern these matters, that critical issues of safety are overseen by regulators of different kinds – and no one is going to take foolish or ill-considered decisions around something as significant as this”.

“The approvals that have been given ensure that standards are applied to make sure there are safe distances from the pipeline to any proposed development,” he said.

The SCAP conditions include updating a safety management study done in 2017 which would be overseen by the Office of the Technical Regulator in the Energy and Mining Department.

The development also proposes removal of 85 trees.

Mr Lennon said this aspect was being considered separately.

The conditions state the developer must plant semi-mature native trees under a 2:1 ratio for 45 regulated trees and 3:1 for 40 significant trees.

Developer Warwick Mittiga said about 400 houses had already been built.

Arcadian Property chairman Warwick Mittiga at Springwood.

Gawler mayor Karen Redman said the council supported the development but had been frustrated by successive planning ministers not applying an Australian standard about gas pipeline safety.

She said it was “unfortunate” the matter was now before the courts and urged Springwood and SEA Gas to sort out their differences.