Glebe Island terminal - Cement Throughput Increase Application

Glebe

 

Cement Australia is preparing a development application to the NSW Department of Planning, Industry and Environment (DPIE)  to increase the upper limit to the total amount of cementitious material that can be unloaded, stored and dispatched at its terminal on Glebe Island in any single year, from 600,000 tonnes to up to 1.2 million tonnes.  

The 16 existing silos and supporting infrastructure Cement Australia currently uses on Glebe Island has sufficient capacity for the proposed increased volume.  The application does not require any construction work, changes in hours of operation nor changes or upgrades to the types of operations. 

Glebe Island is within a State Significant Precinct (under the State Environmental Planning Policy (State Significant Precincts) 2005) and a State Significant Development Application (SSDA) will be lodged with the DPIE.  As part of the application process, Cement Australia is consulting with stakeholders and residents prior to lodgement with the DPIE. The consultation process will help Cement Australia to understand stakeholder concerns and address these prior to lodgement.

Glebe Island has a long history as the industrial heart of the Inner West. In 1921, silos were constructed for grain storage and distribution and used for most of that century.  The current tall concrete silos were constructed in the early 1970s as an expansion to the original silos, which have since been demolished.  In 1975, a major extension of the silo complex was completed, comprising the existing 30 tall cylindrical silos.  

In 1991, Cement Australia took operation of 16 of the 30 silos for use as a cement terminal. These heritage listed silos will continue to be used in the future.

The Glebe Island Silos play a crucial role in Sydney’s civil and construction industries, providing approximately 50% of Sydney’s cement requirements. The silos’ location at a deep water port and the junction of many of Sydney’s major roads affords cement trucks direct access to cement and concrete works facilities across the city.

Cement Australia provides material to current and future infrastructure projects including Sydney Metro, Westconnex and the Westmead Hospital Redevelopment, as well as many private developments throughout the city. Much of the cement that is used in those projects passes through the Glebe Island terminal. 

Cement Australia products are manufactured in Australia, at plants located in Tasmania and Queensland. The proposed increase in capacity will secure Sydney’s future cement supply through an efficient use of an existing facility, while supporting Australian jobs and the economy.

 

As stated above, there will be no construction or upgrades to the existing facility as a result of this application. With an increase in capacity however, it is expected there will be some changes local residents may notice, such as:

Increase in truck movements
If the proposed allowable volume increase is accepted, the cumulative number of trucks over the course of a day may increase.  However, there will be no changes to maximum number of loads / truck movements per hour.

These trucks will follow the same routes as they currently do. There will be no change in operating hours.

Cement Australia is undertaking traffic studies as part of the EIS process. Consideration is being given to the cumulative issues of several projects underway or planned in the area, and how best to manage those impacts.

Increase in ship movements
In order to deliver the increased volumes to the facility, there may be an increase in the number of ships docking at the port. There is currently a maximum of 32 ships per year. If the proposal is accepted this may result in an increase of up to 20 ships per year. 

Cement Australia is working with the Harbour Master to ensure pre-existing maritime safety and navigation requirements are satisfactory, or if further controls are required as part of this proposal.

Further, Cement Australia’s shipping provider is currently upgrading its fleet. The new ships that will be docking at the site are quieter than ships that have docked at the port in the past. This is expected to reduce noise impacts on the surrounding community in the future.

Noise
As there will not be a change in operations at the facility, there will not be any additional noise created from any new operations. The facility’s operations will not be noticeably louder than currently.  

If the proposal is accepted, there may be more truck and ship movements. This may result in longer periods of noise.  

Cement Australia is committed to working with local residents to ensure the operations are not disruptive to the surrounding community. The Port Authority of NSW is currently preparing a draft Port Noise Policy and Vessel Noise Operating Protocol. Cement Australia will comply with the new requirements that the Port Authority is preparing.

Impacts on pedestrians and cyclists
Cement Australia understands the importance of the Anzac Bridge cycleway as a connection for Inner West residents to access the city on foot, or by bike. This route has undergone significant detours in recent months as part of other projects in the area. Cement Australia is committed to maintaining the safety of pedestrians and cyclists in the area. As this proposal includes no construction or operational changes, there is no disruption expected for pedestrians or cyclists.

Trucks accessing the site will continue to use the existing access route on James Craig Rd. Truck drivers are required to adhere to a code of conduct that helps protect road users in the area. 

 

The application will be a State Significant Development Application (SSDA), as Glebe Island is situated within a State Significant Precinct (as defined under the State Environmental Planning Policy (State Significant Precincts) 2005).

Cement Australia is undertaking consultation with the community and stakeholders. The feedback we receive during this process will help inform the proposal prior to it being lodged with DPIE.

Once the proposal is submitted with DPIE, it will be placed on public exhibition by DPIE for further consultation.

 

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Find out more and have your say

Cement Australia will be hosting two webinars for the community to find out more about the proposal. The webinars are an opportunity to ask questions of the project team and have your say before the proposal is submitted to the Department of Planning, Industry and Environment.
 


WEBINAR #1 Recording – Click to view (Tuesday, 1st December 2020, 5.30PM AEDT)

WEBINAR #2  Recording – Click to view (Thursday, 3rd December 2020, 6.30PM AEDT)


Please note these times are AEDT (Sydney) time     

We welcome your feedback. If you have any questions or comments, please contact us: 
Email: ca.compliance@cemaust.com.au

 

 

WEBINAR #1
Recording - 1st December
WEBINAR #2
Recording - 3rd December