The wells will feed gas via underground pipes to an extraction plant located in the hills on the border of the two municipalities. The plant will include a compressor and a device to allow flaring of excess gas and a large evaporation pond.
Under council planning rules, the Scenic Hills are zoned for environmental protection and no subdivisions of less than 100 hectares are allowed.
Banned developments include aerodromes, hotels, car repair shops, amusement parks and rural residential, although schools and possibly retirement villages are permitted.
Another councillor, Meg Oates, said the hills have been under increasing development pressure and she feared approval would change them forever.
”I came [to Campbelltown] in 1972; that’s when the assault on the hills started. We have managed to stave off inappropriate development, but this is the thin end of the wedge.”
She said the local Labor MPs were as opposed to the project as the affected councils but she was uncertain whether they could stop it. ”It’s an inappropriate place for it. What’s the point of having these kinds of zonings if they can just be overridden?”
AGL said the plant’s proposed site was ideal because of existing infrastructure.
”The proposed location for the gas processing facility is within an existing utilities corridor within the Scenic Hills which includes transmission lines, two high-pressure gas pipelines, associated easements and a water canal,” a company spokesman said.
”This corridor services the needs of the Sydney metropolitan area and AGL does not believe our proposal will create any further visual impact on this area.”
The proposed flare would be horizontal and, while required for safety, would be rarely used, he said.
“AGL believes that the proposal can be developed sympathetically to the needs of the local environment. In addition, the area will be completely rehabilitated at the end of the life of the project.”