britannia hotel community issuesl - save...
TRANSCRIPT
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Britannia'Hotel'Application'for'review'of'Hobsons'Bay'Council’s'Planning'Application'Refusal'Hearing"18th"March"2013"2"VCAT"REFERENCE"P2126/2012"(Hobsons"Bay"PA1224762)""Britannia!Hotel!application!.!Use!of!the!building!for!the!purpose!of!a!display/marketing!suite,!alterations!to!the!existing!building!with!associated!demolition!works!and!a!waiver!of!the!statutory!parking!requirement!"My"name"is"Charmian"Gaud"and"I"am"an"original"objector"to"the"application"but"unable"to"attend"the"hearing"as"I"am"overseas"in"New"Zealand""1' Heritage'issues'I"agree"with"council"that"the"heritage"integrity"of"the"Britannia"Hotel"should"be"retained"so"that"the"external"appearance"remains"typical"of"the"era.""Council"has"provided"a"Heritage"report"to"explain"why."""I"support"that:" Windows"on"Eastern"wall"should"not"be"altered.""2' Safety'Issues:''refer'to'C86'DDO11'Clauses'1.0,'2.0,'6.0,'7.0'and'8.0're:'Worksafe'Advisory'Area'–'planning'requirements'2.1" DDO11"Clause"1.0"and"2.0""
!Clause!1.0!Map!shows!Britannia!Hotel!in!the!Worksafe!Advisory!Area!(Attachment!01)!!!Clause!2.0!states:!To!discourage!development!in!the!WorkSafe!Planning!Advisory!Areas!that!attracts!or!accommodates!significant!numbers!of!people!and!which!cannot!respond!to!an!emergency.!!!!An"application"which"involves"alterations"to"the"existing"building"needs"to"respond"appropriately"for"emergencies"and"safety"of"people"
2.2" DDO11"Clause"6.0""Before!deciding!on!an!application!within!the!Advisory!Area!(illustrated!in!clause!1!of!this!schedule),!the!Responsible!Authority!must!seek!the!views!of!Work!Safe!Victoria.!!!The"developer"has"split"the"applications"for"a"single"site"into"about"15"applications.""WorkSafe"has"given"its"views"in"writing"and"by"presentation"at"the"PPWMAC"hearings"(Attachment"02.124).""It"is"unreasonable"to"expect"WorkSafe"to"keep"attending"VCAT"and"council"when"the"plans"are"not"part"of"a"single"masterplan."""Worksafe"prepares"documents"representing"their"views,"they"told"PPWMAC"they"are"not"funded"to"be"a"referral"authority"or"to"provide"expert"opinion."(Attachment"07)"
2.3.1" DDO11"Clause"7.0""Specifications!for!development!within!the!WorkSafe!Planning!Outer!Advisory!Area!which!detail!measures!to!ensure!the!buildings!can!withstand!overpressures!of!up!to!6kPa.!!Draft"conditions"by"Council"do"not"require"6"kPa"
The"Buncefield"Explosion"UK"2005"changed"the"international"understanding"of"consequences"of"major"incidents"at"MHF.""Worksafe,"Mobil"and"EPA"all"referenced"Buncefield"at"the"Port"Phillip"Woollen"Mill"Advisory"Committee"hearings"and"the"Ports"and"Environs"Advisory"Committee"hearings."""Applications"for"planning"permits"subsequent"to"this"incident"must"be"informed"by"this"incident""(Attachment"03'shows"impacted"distances"at"Buncefield,"photo"of"damaged"building"as"presented"by"Mobil"and"Shipping"explosion"at"Providence"New"York"State"USA)"
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"This"is"the"first"planning"application"under"C86"within"the"Worksafe"Advsory"Area"for"the"site"since"the"Buncefield"incident"changed"knowledge"around"the"world"about"safety"of"MHFs.""Also"no"planning"applications"have"been"considered"since"2005"for"the"Britannia"hotel."Therefore"this"is"the"stage"at"which"safety"issues"must"be"considered"for"this"site.""Works"in"the"application"involve"the"eastern"wall,"involve"alterations"to"windows"and"include"providing"a"first"floor"terrace"on"Kanowna"St."This"wall"being"the"closest"to"the"MHF"needs"to"provide"for"overpressures"of"at"least"6"kPa.""The"Kanowna"St"wall"faces"Pt"Gellibrand"MHF"–"tanks"and"fuel"importation"by"ship"(Attachment"04"map"showing"a"range"of"known"buffer"distances)""Use"as"a"marketing"suite"will"involve"up"to"300"clients"(non2employees)"being"present"(up"to"300)"see"section"3.1"""The"safety"distances"although"estimated"by"Worksafe"in"the"DDO"are"not"clear"until"a"proper"Risk"Assessment"of"the"whole"Gellibrand"Peninsula"has"been"completed."Estimated"guideline"of"300m"may"be"too"conservative.""Reasons:"
Buncefield"facts."Refer"to"conference"paper"by"Gexon:"RISK!2012,!Hunter!Valley,!20!.!22!September!2012!Modelling!of!a!Vapour!Cloud!Explosion!as!a!result!of!a!Hydrocarbon!Release!from!a!Major!Hazard!Facility!in!Close!Proximity!to!Residential!Areas!!Suraweera!M!2,!Thomas!I!F!1,!Abdel.jawad!M!2)!quote!below!
Findings!of!explosion!modelling!conducted!show!that!considerable!damage!would!be!caused!at!the!adjacent!BAE!Systems!premises!(the!former!Williamstown!Dockyard).!The!Buncefield!overlay!shows!that!significant!levels!of!damage!would!also!occur!in!a!proposed!nearby!residential!area.!This!and!consideration!of!planning!criteria!in!the!UK!and!in!Victoria,!further!emphasize!the!need!for!detailed!investigation!of!this!site!in!the!future.!
Gexcon"paper"provided"map"with"Buncefield"distances"(Attachment"05)"!
Mobil"warned"the"Port"Phillip"Woollen"Mill"Advisory"Committee"that"people"safety"was"an"issue"(Attachment"06)"and"also"stated"10x"the"diameter"of"the"tank"was"the"relevant"international"buffer"distance"for"explosions"ie"400m"at"Pt"Gellibrand"for"40m"tank""Mobil"are"currently"strengthening"their"existing"buildings"at"the"Altona"Refinery"to"improve"resistance"to"overpressures"after"consideration"of"safety"standards"and"the"explosive"invisible"vapour"cloud"at"Buncefield.""Hobsons"Bay"PA1226017. Employees"at"the"Altona"refinery"(which"includes"Pt"Gellibrand,"Altona"and"Yarraville"in"a"single"operations"Safety"Case)"are"trained"in"safety"procedures"and"have"appropriate"OH&S"committees"and"representation.""""PPWMAC"report"referred"to"UK"HSE"PADHI"for"planning"decisions"which"says"consultation"distances"for"the"4"stage"decision"matrix"start"with"a"Risk"Assessment."(Attachment"07)"
"
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Pt"Gellibrand"MHF"Risk"Assessment"–"Council"is"responsible"under"OH"&"S"Act"for"Community"Safety"and"any"impact"off"the"land"of"the"MHF"–"the"risk"assessment"is"still"to"be"done"despite"decisions"in""Oct"2010"and"Feb"2013"(Attachment"08.123)""Quantarisk"report"1992/3"Risk"Assessment"of"Pt"Gellibrand"was"suppressed"by"the"Kennett"Govt."A"copy"was"obtained"from"the"federal"govt"–"many"changes"since"that"report"(Attachment"09)""Risk"Assessment"from"Fuel"importation"at"Pt"Gellibrand"has"never"been"done"and"needs"to"ensure"proper"robust"assessment"based"on"shipping"facts"in"the"port"including"the"fact"that"the"ships"cannot"self"evacuate"from"the"port"as"the"channel"is"too"narrow."There"exist"general"guideline"for"Shipping"Risk"which"should"be"about"a"1000m"buffer"zone"(HB"Planning"Scheme"52.10,"WA"EPA,"evidence"from"fires"and"explosions"presented"at"the"PPWMAC,"evidence"of"Cpt"Bill"Korevaar"at"PEAC"and"PPWMAC,"Port"of"Melbourne"SEMP,"Lees"–"Loss"Prevention"in"Process"Industries"(section"23"Marine"Transport:"Shipping)."All"ships"bringing"petrochemicals"to"Pt"Gellibrand"have"overseas"flag"countries"and"are"not"under"Australian"control.""With"no"fire"fighting"capability"from"the"water,"the"risk"of"escalation"from"ships"to"tanks"is"greater"and"wind"direction"could"prevent"firefighting"from"land.""2"Attachments"10.125"
This"shipping"risk"along"with"the"MHF"tanks"risk"would"both"impact"on"the"Britannia"Hotel"site"in"the"Advisory"Area.""In"the"application"under"consideration"at"VCAT,""the"building"alterations"and"the"number"of"people"likely"to"be"present,"indicate"that"if"there"were"an"explosive"incident"at"any"time,"the"planning"authority"should"not"ignore"either"the"written"provisions"of"C86/DDO11"or"professional"evidence"of"what"could"occur."There"is"clearly"a"possible"consequence"of"an"invisible"vapour"cloud"or"explosion"occurring"and"effecting"the"Britannia"Hotel.""Depending"on"wind"direction"dense"smoke"from"an"incident"would"impact"the"site.""The"Mobil"Major"Hazard"Facility"Tank"Farm"and"vessels"on"the"Port"of"Melbourne"jetty"involved"in"importation"or"export"of"fuel"both"represent"risks"to"the"whole"peninsula."
"CONDITIONS"–"draft"conditions"need"amending"and"should"include"mandatory"strengthening"of"walls"to"withstand"overpressure"of"6"kPa"as"specified"in"the"DDO11""2.3.2" Emergency"Evacuation"Plan"–"DDO11"Clause"7.0"states"that"
For!applications!within!the!Advisory!Area!(illustrated!in!clause!1!of!this!schedule),!an!Emergency!Evacuation!Plan!prepared!in!consultation!with!Council,!Mobil,!BAE,!the!Port!of!Melbourne!Corporation!and!relevant!emergency!services!agencies.!!"The"developer"has"not"prepared"an"Emergency"Evacuation"Plan"(EEP)"or"consulted"with"the"required"authorities"and"Mobil""Council"has"not"required"preparation"of""an"EEP"as"part"of"the"application""To"ensure"safe"evacuation"procedures"an"EEP."It"is"also"reasonable"for"people"safety"to"set"maximum"ratios"of"staff"to"clients,"lists"of"all"persons"present"on"premises"at"all"times,"perform"drills"to"ensure"staff"can"perform"safe"evacuation"procedures"and"arrange"evacuation"to"assembly"points.""
2.3.4" Decision"Guidelines"–"DDO11"Clause"8.0"states"that"
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Whether!the!buildings!located!within!the!WorkSafe!Outer!Planning!Advisory!Area!!can!withstand!overpressures!of!up!to!6kPa.!!"This"decision"guideline"has"not"been"met"in"the"application"and"Council"has"not"required"it.""There"is"no"reason"for"non2compliance"with"the"decision"guideline"and"in"terms"of"people"safety"exemption"is"irresponsible.""""
3' Number'of'persons'permitted'at'the'premises'and'change'of'use'Q''(a)'Marketing'Suite'Stage'and'(b)'Future'Use'after'Marketing'completed.'''3.1" Current"Application"for"Marketing"Suite"–"should"refer"to"both"staff"and"clients""
Draft"conditions"by"Council"refer"only"to"Staff"(x4)"but"not"clients"""In"my"discussion"with"Council"Officer"Verity"Games"prior"to"the"circulation"of"council’s"draft"conditions,"I"asked"why"an"EEP"had"not"been"required."Verity"indicated"that"council"had"considered"that"with"only"about"15"people"in"attendance"along"with"4"staff."It"was"unnecessary.""The"staff"car"parking"area"was"an"indicator"that"4"staff"would"be"present.""I"asked"for"this"in"writing"but"the"council"officer"refused"to"confirm"the"estimates"used"in"writing.""As"responsible"authority"VCAT"needs"to"considered"how"the"“Marketing"Suite”"will"be"used"in"achieving""advertising"and"marketing"goals"for"a"total"development"of"more"than"800"dwellings"(Attachment"11"2"refer"Construction"Management"Plan"for"Stage"1"2"also"traffic"documents"submitted"to"council"for"applications"in"Stage"2"of"the"development"show"more"than"800"dwellings)."800"dwellings"is"double"the"number"mooted"in"the"heain"Port"Phillip"Woollen"Mill"Advisory"Committee"hearings.""Evolve"/NPV"method"of"selling"is"documented"by"the"developers"–"always"sell2off2plan"(Attachment"12"2"refer"Ashley"Williams"in"BRW"and"other"articles)""Submitted"plans"indicate"space"catering"for"large"numbers"of"clients"at"sales"events.""165sqm"in"plans"not"including"offices"appears"to"be"marketing"space.""Based"on"other"large"apartment"and"townhouse"developments,"marketing"methods"will"include"large"events"where"clients"are"able"to"arrange"finance"via"bankers"and"sign"up"on"plan"for"future"construction"of"dwellings.""Conservative"estimate"of"the"numbers"invited"to"events"would"be"about"200"but"may"be"up"to"300"persons.""(Attachment"13"2"shows"the"spaces"included"in"the"calculation"of"200"or"300"persons"2""occupancy"rates"based"on"National"Gallery"of"Victoria"cocktail"parties.)""The"applicant"needs"to"indicate"accurately"how"many"staff"and"clients"will"be"present"when"off2the2plan"events"occur?""This"allows"the"responsible"authority"to"determine"maximum"occupancy"within"given"constraints""The"Britannia"Hotel"is"located"in"the"Worksafe"Advisory"Area"and"therefore"the"maximum"number"of"persons"should"be"detailed"in"the"application.""“Marketing"suite”"is"a"new"use"of"the"site"and"it"needs"clear"specification""Council"conditions"only"refers"to"4"staff"being"present"and"makes"no"condition"for"number"of"clients."""
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CONDITIONS"should"include"a"maximum"number"of"persons"permitted"to"be"present,"ratio"of"staff"to"clients"and"a"proper"evacuation"procedures."""
3.2" Future"Use"2"business"commercial"use,"dwelling"use"Beyond"the"use"of"the"Britannia"Hotel"as"a"marketing"suite"which"is"clearly"a"temporary"use"for"about"2"or"3"years"–"future"uses"must"be"considered"in"relation"to"the"safety"issues"as"specified"in"DDO11.""Safety"matters"should"be"dealt"with"today"and"be"in"place"for"any"future"use."
3.2.1"" Future"Demolition"As"a"heritage"building"under"the"Hobsons"Bay"Planning"Scheme,"it"likely"that"a"demolition"application"would"be"refused."""If"the"developer"seeks"demolition,"the"Britannia"is"located"on"land"of"cultural"heritage"significance"and"would"require"a"similar"determination"to"the"PPWM"site"(VCAT"P785/2012)"(attachment"14""2"shows"map"1850s"map"with"distances)"except"that"it"does"include"a"building""which"may"be"restored.""""
3.2.2" Future"Alternative"Commercial"Business"or"Community"Use"If"another"commercial/business"or"social"use"of"the"building"is"proposed"in"the"future"then"the"same"strengthening"of"walls"and"supervision"of"those"present"under"the"provisions"of"an"EEP"would"be"a"required."Depending"on"the"approved"activity"on"the"site"a"maximum"number"of"persons"present"is"in"the"interests"of"public"safety"and"planning"for"the"people"of"Victoria"Occupancy"after"use"as"a"marketing"suite"as"a"commercial/business"or"community"venue"such"as"commercial"pub"or"restaurant"will"need"to"be"appropriate"for"the"Advisory"Area."The"use"may"also"involve"large"numbers"of"persons"on"premises"contrary"to"WorkSafe"statements"(Attachment"02.4)."Proper"risk"assessment"of"the"Pt"Gellibrand"Peninisula"is"needed"to"establish"appropriate"consultation"distances"and"densities"of"workers"and"users.""
3.2.3" Future"Dwellings"The"2"storey"heritage"hotel"could"be"converted"to"about"15"apartments"of"45sqm"each""2"say"30"residents."However"there"would"be"a"problem"with"residents/households"in"a"Worksafe"Advisory"area""“Worksafe'does'not'advise'residential'development'in'its'Outer'Planning'Zone”"(see"Attachment"02.4)""Also"in"terms"of"organising"people"safely"""Households'are'not'entities'capable'of'organising'in'an'emergency"'"This"is"simple"concept"to"be"applied"whenever"the"developer"seeks"to"encroach"onto"a"Worksafe"Advisory"Area"with"NEW"development"or"“Change"of"use”"for"an"existing"building""We"ask"that"VCAT"consider"these"matters."In"a"Worksafe"Advisory"Area"entities"(businesses"or"other"organisations)"are"need"a"qualified"Health"and"Safety"Representative"and"an"approved"Health"and"Safety"Committee"to"carry"out"WorkSafe"safety"requirements.""There"is"no"method"of"organising"households"to"perform"such"responsibilities"and"any"planning"authority"which"ignores"this"fact"would"not"be"acting"in"the"interests"of"the"people"of"Victoria.""
"CONCLUSIONS""
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The"outside"of"the"heritage"building"should"have"no"inappropriate"architectural"changes"""
Additional"Conditions"for"a"permit"should"include"the"following:"1. The"walls"of"the"eastern"side"of"the"building"should"be"strengthened"to"withstand"
overpressure"of"at"least"6"kPa"and"given"the"Buncefield"findings"possibly"8"kPa"2. The"advice"of"Worksafe"on"the"maximum"numbers"of"staff"and"clients"and"the"
ratio"of"staff"to"clients"should"be"strictly"implemented"in"respect"of"safe"evacuation"procedures.""In!my!opinion!I!would!expect!possibly!one!staff!member!per!10!visitors!with!a!maximum!of!50!persons."""
3. All"visitors"should"be"identified"and"sign"that"they"aware"that"the"building"is"in"a"Worksafe"Advisory"Area"for"a"Major"Hazard"Facility."
4. For"safety"reasons"the"serving"of"alcohol"in"the"premises"should"not"be"permitted."
5. For"safety"reasons"no"person"should"be"permitted"to"sleep"on"the"premises"6. The"building"should"be"designated"as"a"separate"workplace"(not"just"part"of"
Nelson"Place"Village"Pty"Ltd)"and"must"have"its"own"Health"and"Safety"Committee"and"Representative"
7. The"Emergency"Evacuation"Plan"should"be"prepared"by"suitably"qualified"expert"to"the"satisfaction"of"WorkSafe"and"Council."
8. The"EEP"should"be"available"to"and"communicated"with"anyone"entering"the"building"and"be"displayed"prominently"on"walls"of"the"premises"at"all"times."
9. Before"works"are"carried"out"that"would"significantly"disturb"the"man2made"or"natural"surface"or"subsoil"of"the"land,"an"archaeological"survey"and"photographic"record"of"significant"relics"and"structures"must"be"prepared"by"a"suitably"qualified"archaeologist"and"submitted"to"the"Responsible"Authority."The"archaeological"survey"and"photographic"record"must"be"carried"out"in"accordance"with"the"requirements"of"Heritage"Victoria"and"Aboriginal"Affairs"Victoria."""
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Shipping summary for Brit objection 11/03/13 11:36 PM
ATTACHMENT 10.4
WORKSAFE DOCUMENT - CONTROL MEASURES FOR A MAJOR HAZARD FACILITY quotes
Lees, FP Loss Prevention in the Process Industries 2nd Edition 1996. (Section 8 Further Reading)
This reference includes 21 pages about shipping.
Picture of a catastrophic explosion on a crude oil tanker in the South Korean Sea 2012
http://www.abc.net.au/news/2012-01-15/s-korean-tanker-explosion-kills-5/3773508
FROM: Lees, FP Loss Prevention in the Process Industries
There are 21 pages about control measures for shipping - the opening paragraphs gives context … 23.13.7 explains that basically Safety Cases for ships are registered in the flag state
23.12 Marine Transport: Shipping
Marine transport is distinguished from the other modes of transport in a number of ways. These include its international nature, which has many aspects; the size of the cargoes carried; and the marine environment.
General accounts of marine transport are given in the ACDS Transport Hazards Report (1991), Safer Ships, Cleaner Seas (Donaldson, 1994) (the Donaldson Report) and The Carriage of Bulk Oil and Chemicals at Sea (Rawson, 1994), which may be supplemented by the references cited below.