BHP land to become reserve
Copyright 2001 The Daily Telegraph (Sydney)
November 29, 2001
By KATE MURRAY
MORE than 500ha of former BHP land will be turned into an environmental reserve, the State Government said yesterday.
BHP Billiton has transferred 2440ha of land, including 150ha at the main Newcastle steelworks site, 230ha on Kooragang Island, 515ha at Belmont Sands and 1545ha at West Wallsend, to the government.
Belmont Sands, which includes 400ha of sand dunes and forest and 115ha of coastal wetlands, will be protected, as will a "significant part" of the land at West Wallsend. "This will ensure the [Belmont Sands] land is protected from development," Premier Bob Carr said.
"It enables us to complete the ring of open space [around] Newcastle."
He said the land at Newcastle and Kooragang Island would be used for industrial and commercial purposes.
BHP will retain responsibility for the environmental state of the land at the steelworks site and Kooragang Island, and will pay $100million to clean up both areas. They are also responsible for demolition of the steelworks, expected to cost $25 million.
Mr Carr said the environmental remediation plans had been approved by the EPA.
The steelworks site has already received development consent for a multipurpose freight terminal.
Mr Carr said four freight companies were interested in operating from the port and the University of Newcastle and other commercial developers had expressed interest in existing buildings on the site.
"The main site is a valuable asset, we have an opportunity to enhance that," he said.
He said building a new port would create 400 construction jobs and 400 permanent jobs.
The Newcastle Port Corporation will call for tenders to develop and operate the new port.
Port Corporation CEO Chris Oxenbould said they were ready to move ahead with tenders as soon as possible.
The Kooragang island site is also earmarked for port-related businesses, the Premier said.
Options for the site could include marine repairs, ship building and raw material imports or exports.
"There is a shortage of port-related industrial land on the east coast.
"[Kooragang] can be used in the future to attract new developments to Newcastle."
While the West Wallsend site has not been marked for any specific purpose, part of it will be protected.
Other areas on the site could be used for urban or light industrial development, Minister Assisting the Premier on Hunter Development Richard Face said.