Works regulation issued for Borumba Project exploratory works.

On 13 September 2024, the Governor in Council approved the Queensland Coordinator-General’s recommendation to direct Queensland Hydro to undertake exploratory works for the Borumba Pumped Hydro Project through an amendment to the State Development and Public Works Organisation Regulation 2020.

Under the works regulation, development approvals by Gympie and Somerset Regional Councils will not be required for the exploratory work activities, because the respective planning schemes were not developed to assess large hydro power projects or associated works.

A copy of the works regulation can be found here.

What does the works regulation cover?

The works regulation covers:

• geotechnical investigations, such as boreholes and test pits
• exploratory tunnels (and associated activities, such as establishing stockpile areas)
• access tracks, road upgrades, bridges and other improvements to support safe site access
• any excavation, fill, clearing and water management required for works (subject to other relevant regulatory approvals), and
• any other works that are temporary or ancillary to these works.

The works regulation also allows the Coordinator-General to assist facilitation of works to support the exploratory works, using various functions and powers under the SDPWO Act, such as opening, closing and rearranging roads to support road upgrades.

While the regulation removes the requirement for development assessment under the Somerset and Gympie Regional Council planning schemes, the majority of the exploratory works have been determined a controlled action requiring assessment under the Commonwealth Environment Protection and Biodiversity Conservation Act 1999 (EPBC Act). The Department of Climate Change, Energy, the Environment and Water (DCCEEW) has not yet made a decision in relation to the application for EPBC Act approval for the exploratory works.

Further assessment and approvals will also be required by the Queensland Government for any activities that trigger assessable development under the Planning Regulation 2017.

A range of management plans and assessments, including a traffic impact assessment (TIA) and social assessment and management plan (SAMP), will be also submitted to the Queensland Coordinator-General and agreed prior to commencement of construction.

Why was this pathway chosen?

The regulatory approvals pathway for major infrastructure projects is complex, with many factors to consider. Queensland Hydro has been engaging with the Queensland Government on the approval pathway for the proposed Borumba Pumped Hydro Project since 2022.

During this process, it was identified that neither the Gympie or Somerset Regional Council planning schemes were developed to assess development applications for large hydro power projects.

Queensland Hydro subsequently provided detailed submissions to the Office of the Coordinator-General about the scope of exploratory works. The Coordinator-General determined that a works regulation for exploratory works would be the appropriate pathway.

You can read more about works regulations on the State Development, Infrastructure and Planning website.

First published 22 November 2024.