Waterloo
At 1511 hectares, this is the largest site considered.
Including drainage reserves, it is comprised of 43 land parcels controlled by 32 owners. The majority of lots are over 30 hectares in area.
The land is zoned rural, except for portions on the western edge that are affected by a primary regional road reserve under the Greater Bunbury Scheme, which relates to the future proposed Bunbury outer ring road.
Land in the northern part of this site has been identified as a suitable site for an intermodal transport facility to serve Bunbury Port. The site has immediate access to heavy vehicle roads, including the South West Highway.
In terms of its fit with strategic planning objectives, this site performs well. It is in close proximity to Picton Industrial Park and proposed industrial expansion of that estate, and is identified as a key site for future industrial expansion in the Greater Bunbury Sub-Regional Structure Plan 2013. Although currently zoned for rural purposes, rezoning to industrial in the Greater Bunbury Scheme by late 2014 is proposed.
Proximity to existing and proposed industrial areas means that the area will benefit from investment in service infrastructure and there will be other customers to make provision of the infrastructure a more viable proposition than is the case for some of the more remote sites. Aqwest is licensed to service the area and has mains adjoining the site.
The site is low lying, as indicated by the fact that the whole site is mapped as a multiple use wetland. However regional groundwater mapping is not currently available to indicate actual depth to groundwater.
Within one kilometre of the site boundary there are a number of industrial uses including Austral Brickworks and part of the Picton Industrial Park.
Within one kilometre there are several sensitive land uses on rural lots. However if this site is selected for a food processing precinct, the core area could be located so that likely buffer zones can be contained almost entirely within the site and without impacting any sensitive land uses beyond its borders.
This site was the highest scoring site when scored using the multi-criteria analysis.
Qualitatively, the site is assessed as having medium risk associated with is ability to produce a contiguous and staged development, its attractiveness to agri-industries, and land assembly. It was assessed as low risk for future growth and social licence.
Yalyalup
This site is comprised of nine sites owned by eight owners, including the Water Corporation which owns around 70 hectares adjacent to Wonnerup East Road. The site adjoins the Busselton Airport and is affected by planned extensions of the airport runway.
The site has good access to heavy vehicle routes, with frontage to both Vasse Highway and Sues Road.
Within one kilometre of the site boundary there is a significant number of sensitive land uses due to the development of land north of the site for residential purposes.
The site is currently zoned for agriculture under the City of Busselton local planning scheme however it is intended to rezone the land in the future to reflect current strategic planning relating to the airport and adjacent land. Most of the land is likely to be rezoned for industrial and airport purposes.
Northern parts of the site are likely to be constrained by proximity to the airport runway, which may affect the ability to build high structures (such as chimneys) or to locate activities that have potential to interfere in any way with safe aircraft movements (such as dust).
Much of the site is designated as multiple use wetland. No specific information is available on groundwater levels but this designation and the proximity of the Vasse River suggest that the water table could be within one to two metres of the surface.
The site is relatively close to existing or proposed services and current planning for the area by the City of Busselton means it is being considered for extension of services, however food processing activities are not part of current plans and hence would not be accommodated by those proposals.
The site is close to a potential labour force in Busselton.
If this site were selected for a food processing precinct, the core area would have to be located in the south-east corner of the site in order to avoid the proposed airport extension, proposed Water Corporation facility, and for potential buffers to avoid sensitive urban development that has been approved north of the airport. The buffer zones could not be accommodated within the site boundaries and would impact on some sensitive land uses south and east of the site.
Yalyalup was the lowest ranked of the four short listed sites when scored in the multi-criteria analysis.
Qualitatively, Yalyalup was assessed as high risk in terms of its attractiveness to agri-industries. This is primarily associated with the site not being central to a large agricultural catchment. It was assessed as low risk for social licence and land assembly.