Anne O’Byrne Demolition – Contaminated Land Assessment and Remediation

pitt&sherry’s contaminated land team were responsible for assessment and remediation of the former Anne O’Byrne Precinct on the corner of Howick and Charles streets in South Launceston for the Tasmanian Department of Health.

Date:

January 31, 2024

Location:

Tasmania

Services:

Environmental planning, assessment, and approvals

Markets:

Civic

Project aim

To provide a brownfield site suitable for redevelopment from a contaminated land perspective.

What we did

Works included:

Detailed site history review (SHR) prior to demolition to identify potentially contaminating activities (PCAs) and associated contaminants of potential concern (CoPC)
Conceptual site model and assessment of source-pathway-receptor linkages
Sampling plan for intrusive investigations, implemented by demolition stage as access became available
Soil investigations to assess suitability of the site for ongoing ‘mixed use’ (as per the zoning)
UPSS decommissioning by removal
Classification and offsite disposal of contaminated soils
Identification of any ongoing management and/or remediation works (where relevant); and
Reporting.

Outcomes

The intention is that the assessment and remediation works will provide the Department of Health confidence that the risks posed by any potential, or identified, contamination to human health and/or the environment from the site during proposed ongoing ‘hospital services’ use (i.e. no rezoning) are low and acceptable.

The Detailed Site Investigation (DSI) report will be a key input to future development on the site. The DSI report will be used by Launceston City Council as part of future development applications for the site to demonstrate that the site is suitable for the proposed use and excavation under the Potentially Contaminated Land Code of the Tasmanian Planning Scheme.