The Future Land Use and Enabling Works project for Liddell Power Station has been approved by the Minns Labor Government, which will see the former power station, demolished, remediated and transformed for future industrial land uses.
The approval of the State Significant Development, south of Muswellbrook, will mean more jobs and industrial opportunities for the Upper Hunter.
Spanning around 143 hectares, the Future Land Use and Enabling Works project is expected to generate more than $260 million in Capital Investment Value (CIV) for the Upper Hunter Region as well as 100 full time equivalent jobs.
Remediation works will include:
- Demolition of the power station
- Construction and operation of a borrow pit for capping, civil works and recontouring of the site
- Recontouring and revegetation of the site
- Construction and operation of a landfill for the disposal of asbestos contaminated soil and material from demolished infrastructure.
In 2023, the Liddell Power Station came to the end of its technical life and was formally closed, with the proponent AGL committing to remediate the site for a cleaner future.
Following the assessment from the Department of Planning, Housing and Infrastructure (DPHI) the approval has strict conditions of consent to manage biodiversity, water and traffic impacts. Works are now expected to commence within the next 3 months and are expected to continue over the next ten years.
The Upper Hunter has long been an industrial powerhouse and this approval is only the most recent planning determination that indicates a broader Government support for the Upper Hunter to remain an industrial centre.
The approval also comes shortly after the Minns Government launched its Industrial Lands Action Plan (PDF 977.79KB) which sets out a new approach to plan, secure, and manage the supply of industrial lands to deliver new jobs, drive investment and support local economies.
The Minns Labor Government will continue to support robust investment and job opportunities in regional NSW.
For more information, visit the web page on the Liddell Future Land Use and Enabling Works Project.
Minister for Planning and Public Spaces Paul Scully said:
"Under the Minns Government, we have a planning system that is supporting the renewable energy transition, approving projects that will support our communities, energy security and emissions reductions.
"With up to 100 jobs generated during construction and operation, this project will benefit the local economy, local communities and provide indirect benefits to local services throughout the life of project.
"This project is one of many that is part of the state's growing renewable energy infrastructure that plays a vital role in powering our economy for generations to come."
Minister for the Hunter Yasmin Catley said:
"The $260 million project injects a major capital investment within the Upper Hunter and will support dozens of new, local jobs.
"The Liddel Power Station is an important part of the Hunter's history and this project represents the significant investment opportunities that lay ahead for the region.
"Today's announcement further shores up our region as an industrial powerhouse, that will attract jobs, investment and innovation for decades to come."
Duty MLC for the Upper Hunter Emily Suvaal said:
"This approval is welcome news for our area and shows the Minns Labor Government's continued support for the future of the Upper Hunter.
"As the chair of the inquiry into Beneficial and Productive Postmining Land Use, I am hugely supportive of the Minns Government working with proponents to see industrial sites rehabilitated and renewed for future use.
"This means continued employment, investment and innovation for our region."
