Visual Impact Assessment - Hunter Quarries...Visual Impact Assessment Methodology GSS Environmental...

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Karuah East Pty Ltd November 2012 HQP05-011 Visual Impact Assessment Hard Rock Quarry, Karuah East, NSW

Transcript of Visual Impact Assessment - Hunter Quarries...Visual Impact Assessment Methodology GSS Environmental...

Page 1: Visual Impact Assessment - Hunter Quarries...Visual Impact Assessment Methodology GSS Environmental November 2012 3 2.3 Stage 3 – Assessment of Visual Impact The potential impact

Karuah East Pty Ltd

November 2012

HQP05-011

Visual Impact Assessment

Hard Rock Quarry, Karuah East, NSW

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Karuah East Hard Rock Quarry Visual Impact Assessment Table of Contents

GSS Environmental November 2012 ii

TABLE OF CONTENTS 1.0  INTRODUCTION ............................................................................................................................ 1 

1.1  Project Overview ............................................................................................................................ 1 

1.2  Scope of this Report ....................................................................................................................... 1 

1.3  Director-General’s Requirements ................................................................................................... 1 

2.0  METHODOLOGY ........................................................................................................................... 2 

2.1  Stage 1 - Field Investigation ........................................................................................................... 2 

2.2  Stage 2 - Desktop Preparation of Digital Data ............................................................................... 2 

2.3  Stage 3 – Assessment of Visual Impact ......................................................................................... 3 

3.0  LANDSCAPE CHARACTER AND VISIBILITY CATCHMENT ..................................................... 4 

4.0  PHOTOS TAKEN DURING KARUAH EAST PROJECT SITE INSPECTION .............................. 5 

5.0  VISUAL IMPACT ASSESSMENT ................................................................................................. 9 

5.1  Overview ......................................................................................................................................... 9 

5.2  Visual Character and Profile Views ................................................................................................ 9 

5.2.1  Residential Receptors ....................................................................................................... 9 

5.2.2  Pacific Highway ............................................................................................................... 10 

5.2.3  Other Adjacent Lands ...................................................................................................... 11 

5.3  Mitigation Measures ..................................................................................................................... 11 

6.0  CONCLUSION ............................................................................................................................. 12 

FIGURES FIGURE 1 – LOCATION PLAN ................................................................................................................... 1

FIGURE 2 – PROJECT SITE PLAN ........................................................................................................... 1

FIGURE 3 – LINE OF SIGHT LOCATIONS ................................................................................................ 3

FIGURES 4A & 4B – VISUAL PROFILE LOCATIONS .............................................................................. 3

FIGURE 5 – PHOTOGRAPH LOCATIONS ................................................................................................ 5

PLATES

PLATE 1 – VIEW FROM DRIVEWAY OF HOUSE 32 TOWARDS PROPOSED QUARRY ....................... 5

PLATE 2 –VIEW TOWARDS HOUSE 32 FROM PUBLIC ROAD ............................................................... 5

PLATE 3 – VIEW TOWARDS QUARRY FROM ROADWAY NEAR HOUSE 30 ........................................ 6

PLATE 4 – LOOKING TOWARDS HOUSE 23 SHOWING VEGETATION IN BACKGROUND ................ 6

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Karuah East Hard Rock Quarry Visual Impact Assessment Table of Contents

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PLATE 5 – VIEW FROM END OF HALLORAN ROAD TOWARDS QUARRY .......................................... 6

PLATE 6 – VIEW LOOKING SOUTH WEST TOWARDS QUARRY ........................................................... 6

PLATE 7 – VIEW TOWARDS PROPOSED INFRASTRUCTURE AREA FROM PACIFIC HIGHWAY ..... 7

PLATE 8 – VIEW TOWARDS QUARRY FROM PACIFIC HIGHWAY ........................................................ 7

PLATE 9 – VIEW FROM HOUSE 13 ON OLD PACIFIC HIGHWAY LOOKING TOWARDS QUARRY .... 7

PLATE 10 – LOOKING EAST FROM PACIFIC HIGHWAY TOWARDS EXISTING QUARRY AND PROPOSED KARUAH EAST PROJECT SITE. .......................................................................................... 7

PLATE 11 – SHOWING TREE MEASURING BY MEANS OF BALLOON FLOTATION HEIGHT ............ 8

PLATE 12 – SHOWING TREE MEASURING BY MEANS OF BALLOON FLOTATION HEIGHT ............ 8

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Karuah East Hard Rock Quarry Visual Impact Assessment Introduction

GSS Environmental November 2012 1

1.0 INTRODUCTION

1.1 Project Overview

GSS Environmental (GSSE) was commissioned by Karuah East Pty Ltd to prepare a Visual Impact Assessment for the Karuah East Project; a proposed hard rock quarry near Karuah, NSW.

Hunter Quarries Pty Ltd currently operates the existing Karuah Hard Rock Quarry located on Branch Lane adjacent to the Pacific Highway, approximately 3 kilometres (km) to the north of the township of Karuah within the Great Lakes Local Government Area (LGA). The Karuah Quarry currently operates under development approval DA 265/2004 and is approved to produce up to 500 000 tonnes per annum (tpa) of andesite basalt material suitable for use as road base, construction aggregate and concrete batching, among various other applications.

Following exploratory works adjacent to the existing approved quarry, additional resource has been identified to the east on land owned by the Proponent, Karuah East Pty Ltd. It is proposed that this additional resource would be extracted through the development of the Karuah East Project (Karuah East), a stand alone operation to the existing quarry.

Karuah East would comprise the development of a hard rock quarry and associated processing and facilities area to allow the extraction of up to 1.5 million tonnes per annum (mtpa) from a total resource of approximately 29 million tonnes. The general location of the proposed quarry is shown on Figure 1.

The Karuah East Project is to be assessed as a Major Project under Part 3A of the Environmental Planning and Assessment Act 1979 (EP&A Act). As such, an Environmental Assessment is required to support the application for project approval. This Visual Impact Assessment forms part of the Environmental Assessment.

1.2 Scope of this Report

This report examines the findings of the visual assessment with regard to view type and the surrounding landform associated with potentially visual sensitive receptors. The potential impacts on visual amenity associated with the disturbed areas of the quarry were assessed, including the quarry extraction area, as well as the infrastructure area. For the purposes of this assessment, these disturbance areas are collectively referred to as the Project Site, and are illustrated on Figure 2. The assessment and findings are outlined in this report and supported by accompanying figures and photos.

Mitigation measures, such as revegetation of the final landform surface, are presented where required to ensure that impacts on visual amenity are minimised.

1.3 Director-General’s Requirements

The Director-General’s Requirements (DGRs) for the Project (09-0175) were provided in a letter from the Department of Planning and Infrastructure (DoPI) on 25 November 2010. The DGRs state that the Environmental Assessment of the project must include a detailed assessment of a number of key issues, including visual amenity, as follows:

“Visual – including a detailed description of the measures that would be implemented to minimise the visual impact of the project.”

This report fulfils this requirement.

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NEWCASTLE

MAITLAND

Kurri Kurri

Belmont

Nelson Bay

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Proposed Karuah EastProject Location

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FIGURE 1Location Plan

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Karuah East Hard Rock Quarry Visual Impact Assessment Methodology

GSS Environmental November 2012 2

2.0 METHODOLOGY

The visual assessment included an evaluation of the existing visual character of the surrounding landscape, and an assessment of the visual impacts that may result from the development of the Karuah East Quarry. The assessment was based on field observations, as well as analysis of collected and pre-existing site data.

The methodology for the visual assessment involved a number of stages, as discussed below.

2.1 Stage 1 - Field Investigation

The fieldwork involved the following:

A drive around the Project Site and surrounding areas to determine potentially visual sensitive residences, and to ascertain the extent of visual barriers, such as vegetation, between the proposed location of the quarry and the residences. The identified residences are shown on Figure 2;

The measurement by sight estimation of tree heights in the area, in particular those within the vicinity of the Line of Sight (LoS) from residences to the proposed location of the quarry and infrastructure area. Upon discovering the importance of these tree heights when assessing the viewpoints, it was deemed necessary to conduct further field measurements. This time a balloon was held at a predetermined height, as shown in Plate 11, which acted as a reference point for accurate measurement, allowing a more accurate estimation of tree heights in the area;

Photographs (from a digital SLR camera) were taken from the nearest possible locations to selected residences looking towards the proposed quarry location. It should be noted that access to privately owned residences was restricted and photos were taken from the closest possible access points. The photos taken are presented in Section 4. It is noted that the profiles described in Stage 3 however, were derived from the actual residence locations, made possible by available digital data; and

Additional checks on the Karuah East Project Site location were conducted using a balloon flown from the existing quarry site as a reference point.

2.2 Stage 2 - Desktop Preparation of Digital Data

AutoCAD Civil 3D 2011 was used in the preparation of data for final analysis. The preparation of data involved the following:

Collation of all available digital data. This included Light Detection and Ranging (LiDAR) data (1m contours) for the Project Site and surrounding land, topographic contour (10m) digitisation for areas outside of the LiDAR data area flown, and proposed staged quarry three dimensional design contours;

Creation of three dimensional surface models of the existing landform and proposed quarry. The final quarry landform and existing surface were merged to create a finished landform surface. This formed the basis for the Visual Impact Assessment analysis; and

The identified potentially visual sensitive residences were digitally located on the three dimensional surface model.

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Lane

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icHi

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Base Aerial Source: Google Earth

FIGURE 2Site Plan

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LEGEND:

Subject site boundaries

Project Site

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Karuah East Hard Rock Quarry Visual Impact Assessment Methodology

GSS Environmental November 2012 3

2.3 Stage 3 – Assessment of Visual Impact

The potential impact on visual amenity at the nearest sensitive residential locations was assessed by generating visual profiles from these residential locations to the proposed location of the quarry. These visual profiles were produced based on the prepared surface model. In each case (from each residence) the LoS to the Project Site was swivelled and the views analysed to ensure the worst case viewpoints were portrayed.

In addition to the visual profiles generated from each nearest sensitive residential location, profiles were also generated to assess the potential impact on visual amenity from the Pacific Highway, as well as other adjacent vacant lands around the proposed quarry location.

The LoS orientations, and the visual profiles generated, are presented in Figures 3 and Figures 4a and 4b respectively.

Page 9: Visual Impact Assessment - Hunter Quarries...Visual Impact Assessment Methodology GSS Environmental November 2012 3 2.3 Stage 3 – Assessment of Visual Impact The potential impact

Lane

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Proposed Karuah East Quarryshowing final landform design

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ile 8

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Base Aerial Source: Google Earth

FIGURE 3

Visual AssessmentLine of Sight Locations

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LEGEND:

Subject site boundaries

Proposed Karuah East Quarry

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Line of sight (LOS)

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LaenaFrench
Typewritten Text
LaenaFrench
Typewritten Text
LaenaFrench
Typewritten Text
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Metres

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PROFILE 1 - LINE OF SIGHT (LoS) from House 13

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FIGURE 4a

Horizontal Scale: 1 : 15 000

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Vertical Scale: 1 : 7 500

Line of Site (from residence location)

Finished design landform

Current surface level

Finished surface level

Existing trees (approx height 25m asconfirmed by field investigation)

NOTES:

Vertical Exaggeration = 2

For viewpoint locations refer to:"Figure 3 Visual Assessment Line of Sight (LoS)Locations"

Existing vegetation is shown only where it isnecessary to demonstrate the effect on visualimpact

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PROFILE 7 - LINE OF SIGHT (LoS) from Photo 10 Location to Proposed Quarry

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FIGURE 4b

Horizontal Scale: 1 : 15 000

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Line of Site (from residence location)

Finished design landform

Current surface level

Finished surface level

Existing trees (approx height 25m asconfirmed by field investigation)

NOTES:

Vertical Exaggeration = 2

For viewpoint locations refer to:"Figure 3 Visual Assessment Line of Sight (LoS)Locations"

Existing vegetation is shown only where it isnecessary to demonstrate the effect on visualimpact

To be printed A3 Visual Assessment Profiles

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Karuah East Hard Rock Quarry Visual Impact Assessment Landscape Character & Visibility Catchment

GSS Environmental November 2012 4

3.0 LANDSCAPE CHARACTER AND VISIBILITY CATCHMENT

The Project Site is situated in the Karuah River Basin, on the south east facing slopes of a small mountain up to 150 m Australian Height Datum (AHD) and associated ridgeline falling to the south. Regional topography is irregular being defined by isolated mountains and ridges up to 170 m AHD which fall steeply to tidal mudflats adjacent to the Karuah River, and rolling hills and ridges further from the Port Stephens estuary. Elevations within the Project Site range from 50 – 150 m AHD.

The study area for the visual assessment was determined during the field investigation by driving around the Project Site and surrounds. This included assessing viewpoints from all aspects within a radius of approximately 4km, as illustrated in Figure 2.

The sloping nature of the land and the existing vegetation were determining factors in the selection of the visibility catchment extents.

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Karuah East Hard Rock Quarry Visual Impact Assessment Photos

GSS Environmental November 2012 5

4.0 PHOTOS TAKEN DURING KARUAH EAST PROJECT SITE INSPECTION

A series of photographs were taken during the fieldwork to illustrate views from a range of typical receptor locations, including the nearest potentially sensitive receptors. The photo locations are illustrated on Figure 5, and the photos are presented in Plates 1 – 12 below.

Plate 1: View from driveway of House 32 towards proposed quarry

Plate 2: View towards House 32 from public road

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Karuah East Hard Rock Quarry Visual Impact Assessment Photos

GSS Environmental November 2012 6

Plate 3: View towards quarry from roadway near House 30

Plate 4: Looking towards House 23 showing vegetation in background

Plate 5: View from end of Halloran Road towards quarry

Plate 6: View looking south west towards quarry

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Karuah East Hard Rock Quarry Visual Impact Assessment Photos

GSS Environmental November 2012 7

Plate 7: View towards proposed infrastructure area from Pacific Highway

Plate 8: View towards quarry from Pacific Highway

Plate 9: View from House 13 on Old Pacific Highway looking towards quarry

Plate 10: Looking east from Pacific Highway towards existing quarry and proposed Karuah East Project site.

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Karuah East Hard Rock Quarry Visual Impact Assessment Photos

GSS Environmental November 2012 8

Plate 11: Showing tree measuring by means of balloon flotation height

Plate 12: Showing tree measuring by means of balloon flotation height

Page 17: Visual Impact Assessment - Hunter Quarries...Visual Impact Assessment Methodology GSS Environmental November 2012 3 2.3 Stage 3 – Assessment of Visual Impact The potential impact

Lane

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ic

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Proposed Karuah East Quarryshowing final landform design

Photos 1 & 2Photo 3

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Photo 5

Photo 6 (taken further north from road)

Photo 7Photo 8

Photo 9

Photo 10

Photos 11 & 12

Base Aerial Source: Google Earth

FIGURE 5

Visual AssessmentPhotograph Locations

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LEGEND:

Subject site boundaries

Proposed Karuah East Quarry

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Karuah East Hard Rock Quarry Visual Impact Assessment Visual Impact Assessment and Findings

GSS Environmental November 2012 9

5.0 VISUAL IMPACT ASSESSMENT

5.1 Overview

During the field investigation, a total of six residences were identified as potentially sensitive receptors with regards to visual amenity, as illustrated on Figure 2. Field investigations also revealed the average height of the tree canopy to be 25 m.

Visual profiles were generated from these six residences (profiles 1 – 6 on Figure 4a). A further six profiles were generated to enable assessment of the potential visual impacts from the Pacific Highway (profiles 7, 8 and 9 on Figure 4), as well as adjacent vacant lands not already assessed via profiles 1-6 (profiles 10, 11 and 12).

Using aerial photography analysis, as well as results from the field investigation, existing vegetation was placed on the profiles. The LoS was then projected from each residence or receptor location to the proposed quarry extraction area, taking the tree canopy into consideration, as shown on Figure 3. As the tree heights are a crucial element in this assessment given the visual barrier that they provide, the profiles were represented with a vertical to horizontal exaggeration of 2:1.

The visual assessment found that the combined influence of landform and existing vegetation will screen the majority of views from residences in the surrounding area.

As illustrated on Figure 4a, of the six residences assessed it was found that only two (Houses 30 and 32) may be able to see the extraction area of the quarry. However, it is anticipated that this impact would be short term, given that it is the initial top benches of the western face of the quarry that will be seen. The views from the remaining four identified residences will be screened by existing vegetation. The results of each of the visual profiles generated from the six residences are described further in Section 5.2

In addition, visual analysis was undertaken of potential impacts relating to the infrastructure area, with views analysed from each of the identified residences. Pre-determined heights of infrastructure and existing bands of vegetation were factored into the analysis, and it was found that existing trees would act as a visual barrier between all of the residences and the infrastructure.

The visual profiles and assessment results are discussed further below.

5.2 Visual Character and Profile Views

5.2.1 Residential Receptors

PROFILE 1 (House 13)

Located approximately 700 m from the Pacific Highway (Karuah Bypass) on the Old Pacific Highway, the view towards the Project Site is obscured by the existing ridgeline. The proposed quarry will lie approximately 1.7 km from this residence.

PROFILE 2 (House 21)

Located off Hunterview Road on the northern side of the Pacific Highway, this house is approximately 2 km from the proposed quarry. Based on aerial photography, this residence appears to have a clump of trees screening the house and this will provide a visual screen. A slight rise in the landform with vegetation coverage occurs approximately 350 m from the residence, and this will provide a secondary visual barrier. The visual profile shows the trees would obscure any view of the proposed quarry from this residence.

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Karuah East Hard Rock Quarry Visual Impact Assessment Visual Impact Assessment and Findings

GSS Environmental November 2012 10

PROFILE 3 (House 23)

This residence is located on the northern side of the Pacific Highway, off Halloran Road and approximately 1.2 km from the Project Site. Aerial photography and field investigations show there is a vegetation buffer located approximately 350 m from this residence. The visual profile shows this vegetation would act as a visual barrier obscuring views of the proposed quarry from this residence.

PROFILE 4 (House 28)

This residence is located approximately 2.3 km from the quarry on the northern side of the Pacific Highway, off Halloran Road. The landform in this profile is characterised by a ridgeline approximately 1.5 km from the house. The existing vegetation on this ridgeline would obscure views of the proposed quarry.

PROFILE 5 (House 30)

Located approximately 3.1 km from the Project Site and off Halloran Road, this residence may have distant views of the uppermost western face of the proposed quarry. The exposed area would consist of a section of a 10 m high face. Trees would be planted on this face as soon as possible to limit the view from House 30.

PROFILE 6 (House 32)

This residence is approximately 3.6 km from the Project Site, and is located on the northern side of the Pacific Highway off Halloran Road. The visual profile from the house shows a hill with existing vegetation in the LoS. It is possible that the tip of the western face could be exposed to views from this location, however will be mostly shielded by the vegetation in the foreground.

5.2.2 Pacific Highway

PROFILE 7

This profile commences at the Pacific Highway, at a point on the highway directly west of both the existing quarry, and the Project Site (refer Plate 10 and Figure 4b). As is evident from the visual profile and Plate 10, the existing quarry is visible from this location on the highway, however the Project Site is not in the LoS, as it is behind the existing quarry and is also shielded due to the topography of the area.

PROFILE 8

This profile commences at a point on the Pacific Highway directly south of the Project Site. The visual profile from the highway shows a hill in the LoS which shields any view of the proposed quarry from this location. In addition, a proposed quarry in Lot 11 (Wedgerock Pty Ltd) has been included in the visual profile to assess whether this quarry would reduce screening affects relied upon by the Project Site. As is evident in the visual profile, trees in the location of the proposed quarry are not relied upon to screen views of the Project Site, and as such this quarry would not affect the visual impact of the Project Site, should the proposed quarry be approved and constructed in Lot 11.

PROFILE 9

This visual profile illustrates the LoS from the Pacific Highway (refer Plate 7) through Lot 12 to the location of the proposed quarry. The profile shows that existing vegetation would obscure any views of the proposed extraction area from this location.

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Karuah East Hard Rock Quarry Visual Impact Assessment Visual Impact Assessment and Findings

GSS Environmental November 2012 11

5.2.3 Other Adjacent Lands

Visual profiles 10, 11 and 12 (refer Figure 4b) were generated to assess the potential impact on the adjacent lands to the Project Site to the north and north west, not already assessed by profiles 1-9, which predominantly assess visual impacts to the south and east of the Project Site.

PROFILE 10

This visual profile illustrates the LoS from the vacant lands to the north west of the Project Site. As can be seen by this cross section, the main benches of the quarry face the south east and therefore, due to the topography and location of the proposed extraction area, the quarry will not be seen from this location to the north west.

PROFILE 11

The Air Quality and Noise Impact Assessments of the Karuah East Project conducted by SLR Australia (2012) assessed suitable locations for a residential dwelling within Lot 11 (Lot 11 is illustrated on Figure 3), given previous proposals to establish a residence in this Lot. These assessments determined that the northern portion of Lot 11 would be suitable for the location of a residential dwelling with regard to air and noise related impacts.

The potential visual impact on a residential dwelling in this northern portion of Lot 11 was therefore also assessed (profile 11). Similarly to profile 10, profile 11 illustrates that due to the topography of the area the proposed extraction area will not be visible from this north west location.

PROFILE 12

This visual profile illustrates the LoS from the area to the north, north west of the proposed extraction area. Once again, the topography of the area means that the quarry will not be visible from this direction.

5.3 Mitigation Measures

To ensure that the visual impact associated with the extraction area of the quarry is minimised, trees will be planted as soon as practical on the initial benches on the western face of the quarry.

With regards to the infrastructure area, the visual impact assessment indicates that this area would be screened by existing vegetation. As an added measure to ensure visual impact is minimised, the infrastructure will be painted in an appropriate colour to blend in with the natural surroundings.

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Karuah East Hard Rock Quarry Visual Impact Assessment Conclusion

GSS Environmental November 2012 12

6.0 CONCLUSION

The development of the Karuah East Hard Rock Quarry is anticipated to have a low visual impact on people residing in the area, with the majority of the surrounding area found to be screened by existing vegetation. Views from four of the six residences identified as being potentially visual sensitive receptors will be screened by the combined influence of topography and vegetation.

House 30 may have distant views of the uppermost western face of the proposed quarry; however given the distance from the Project Site, the visual impact is anticipated to be low. In addition, it is possible that the tip of the western face of the quarry could be exposed to views from House 32, however will be mostly shielded by existing vegetation in the foreground. Planting of trees as soon as practically possible on the initial benches on the western face of the quarry will further ensure that any potential visual impacts are appropriately mitigated.

Views from the Pacific Highway will also be shielded by the combined influence of topography and vegetation.

This assessment has found that the proposed Karuah East quarry is acceptable from a visual impact perspective.