Staplyton’s $1.3 billion super green plant to be built even bigger under new plans
The Gold Coast has positioned itself as southeast Queensland’s recycling leader with a $90m purchase, marking the first step in a $1.6bn waste revolution. FULL DETAILS
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Construction will start in two years on the Gold Coast’s $1.6 billion super green plant as the City pours $90 million into buying a privately-run green organics facility.
Mayor Tom Tate on Tuesday at Evandale Chambers announced the $90m purchase of Phoenix Power Recyclers, with the Yatala organic processing facility to become ARRC Organics.
Mr Tate says the City will operate the plant from September 1 processing 60,000 tonnes of waste, in a deal which saves $40 million and fast tracks the overall project by five years.
“It will be the best operated compost organics facility in south-east Queensland,” he said.
The plant already takes waste from the Gold Coast, Brisbane and Redlands, guaranteeing it a revenue stream.
The funding was a line item in the council budget in June but kept secret as sale negotiations were finalised.
Mr Tate revealed his own plans to expand the Advanced Recovery Resource Centre (ARRC) at Staplyton to take rubbish from Brisbane and other neighbouring councils.
The city’s biggest infrastructure project — considered more critical than HOTA or Robina’s Greenheart version of Central Park in New York — has been given three huge boosts after seemingly stalling.
These are the new $90m purchase, councillors signing off on asking the State Government to help master plan the ARRC and the Mayor’s expansion plans.
Mr Tate said buying the existing organics processing facility rather than building a new one as originally planned has saved significant construction and planning costs plus fast-tracked a solution to rising waste costs.
“The organics recycling sector in South-East Queensland is facing significant challenges, with a key organics processor unable to continue to provide services, jeopardising our ability to recycle organics,” he said.
“We have had the foresight to recognise the difficulties facing the sector and move to ensure the green organics collected from Gold Coast homes won’t end up in landfill and cost ratepayers more in waste levy fees.
“We need a dedicated facility to ensure we can continue to improve our recycling and landfill diversion.
“This is the first step in our pioneering plan that will cement the Gold Coast as Australia’s leading circular economy-focused city.”
Mr Tate said he provided officers drawings allowing for a “third line” at ARRC which will see materials arriving by trucks from the north being fed into an expanded furnace.
But there is a proviso — it requires councils north of the city to stop “rubbishing” the project.
“The design is for two lines. It’s capable to take waste from the Gold Coast, Logan and Redlands,” the Mayor said.
“But in my drawings, I said have the plan ready for the third line, with that increase the furnace a little bit, not much. The third line is for southern Brisbane to utilise.
“Brisbane was touting their waste to energy was well advanced of the Gold Coast through the Council of Mayors. But they don’t have the land.
“They abandoned the idea. However, I’m happy to include the third line if Brisbane and the State Government help me fund it.”
Mr Tate acknowledged including Brisbane will provide a revenue pathway for the City.
“We are not selfish. But the Council of Mayors has got to stop putting messages out that the Gold Coast project is not real.
“My warning is keep saying that and I will erase the third line and go somewhere else.”
Mr Tate and several councillors visited the northern industrial precinct more than a week ago. At last Tuesday’s waste committee meeting, they ticked off on a critical planning step.
A formal submission will be made for the Government to handle applications for facilities to be built on the project enabling a master plan to be developed.
Mr Tate predicted the first sod can be turned in two years, which will see the project completed before skyrocketing government waste levies.
Deputy Mayor Mark Hammel said he hoped the Government will respond within six months to the planning request rather than usual 18 months.
The next stage would be to go the market for tenders, he said.
“We have been having this discussion with the State Government for some time on this planning pathway,” Mr Hammel said.
He said the City had landholding of 120ha on the site and purchased 190ha at Pimpama River to be environmental offset areas.
In December last year, a councillor voiced concerns about costs and a majority agreed while supporting the project not to go ahead immediately with “expressions of interest”.
Robina-based councillor Dan Doran was the only councillor to speak in opposition, supporting the project’s aim but warning “it’s not a blank cheque”.
Mr Tate at the time believed the timeframe to solve the city’s looming waste crisis could be met with the life of existing tips “between nine and 12 years”.
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