Blue Diamond Australia has secured planning approval to build a multi-million-dollar ammonium nitrate plant in the state’s Mid West.
Blue Diamond Australia has secured planning approval to build a multi-million-dollar ammonium nitrate plant, dubbed Project Terra, in the state’s Mid West.
The Regional Development Assessment Panel this week approved the New South Wales-based company’s $15 million application to build an ammonium nitrate storage and manufacturing plant in the Oakajee industrial estate.
Blue Diamond’s project will cover 12 hectares from its 48-hectare land allocation, with the site being part of DevelopmentWA’s 6,400-hectare Oakajee strategic industrial area.
The Shire of Chapman Valley recommended for the DAP to defer the application for further information, to wait for government departments’ comments.
The Department of Energy, Mines, Industry Regulation and Safety has yet to provide comment on the application, the shire officers said in the DAP report.
“It is recognised that the Department of Energy, Mines, Industry Regulation and Safety have regulatory oversight of the transport, storage and manufacture of dangerous goods under separate legislation and the Department of Water and Environmental Regulation have regulatory oversight of environmental impacts under separate legislation,” the report reads.
“However, it is also recognised that a planning decision is to have due regard for the suitability of the land for the development taking into account the possible risk to human health or safety in accordance with … Planning and Development (Local Planning Schemes) Regulations 2015.
“On this basis [shire] council recommended that DAP delay determination upon this matter pending the receipt of further information from DEMIRS and further information from the applicant that provides risk analysis for the proposed storage of ammonium nitrate and manufacture and storage of ammonium nitrate emulsion that includes modelling of potential scenarios and their management.”
Despite the shire’s recommendation, the panel voted to approve the proposed ammonium nitrate project.
DAP deputy presiding member Karen Hyde said there were sufficient reasons to endorse the application.
“This activity is of state significance and it will be located with other heavy industries which is the purpose of this SIA,” she said at the meeting.
The three-member DAP panel at the meeting did not have any local government representatives from the shire.
Under Project Terra, Blue Diamond plans to import ammonium nitrate through Geraldton once a month, through 3,000 tonne cargos, the company said on its website.
The ammonium nitrate will be used as feedstock to produce ammonium nitrate emulsion at the Oakajee facility, to be distributed to mines in the Mid West and the Pilbara.
