About Hazelmere Hub

The Hazelmere Hub Project is a remediation and redevelopment initiative aimed at revitalising 17 hectares of land at Lot 20 Adelaide Street in Hazelmere. The Project envisions developing commercial/light industrial lots, with a linear strip of residential lots along Adelaide Street to complete the neighbourhood streetscape.

To harness the potential of the location, it is necessary to remediate the site to eliminate risks to human and environmental health and comply with contamination regulations. This process involves:

1. Identifying and assessing any hazards or contaminants present on the site.

2. Capping (covering or sealing) these hazards to prevent exposure.

3. Restoring the land to a safe and usable state. 

The goal of site remediation is to deliver clean and usable land for development while ensuring that potential health and environmental risks are effectively mitigated. 

The project is at the proposal stage only and requires substantial work before submission for approval. It is important to note that until the proposal is approved by the Department of Water and Environmental Regulation (DWER), no remediation works can take place on site. 

Pending approvals, the remediation works are scheduled to commence in mid to late 2025 and will take approximately 30 months to complete. After the site remediation process is completed, the timelines for development will be determined.

Lot 20 Adelaide Street Hazelmere was primarily used for sand mining (open cut) between approximately 1978 and 1982. From around 1987 to 1997, it operated as a licensed uncontrolled inert (chemically inactive) landfill, mainly receiving inert construction waste materials. However, reports indicate that some non-inert (chemically active) materials were also disposed of at the site during the historical landfilling period. The landfill was regulated by the Shire of Swan at that time.

Studies have been conducted to determine the level of contamination at the site resulting from fill materials and possible contaminants. These studies have identified varying levels of contamination primarily caused by fragments of asbestos in building waste debris and sands, as well as heavy metals and hydrocarbons. Recent studies also suggest a limited presence of Per-and Poly-Fluoroalkyl Substances (PFAS; associated with fire control water additive) in some areas of the site.  For more information on the identification, removal and management of hazardous materials please see Project Information Sheet - Hazardous Materials Management. 

DWER administers and enforces the Contaminated Sites Act 2003 (WA), which was introduced to identify, manage and clean up contamination in Western Australia. The Project Team is working closely with DWER, as well as Department of Health and local government authorities, including City of Swan and City of Kalamunda, to effectively manage the remediation process. Compliance with their regulations and guidelines is essential throughout the remediation process to protect human health and the environment.

It is a legal requirement of the Contaminated Sites Act 2003 (WA) that the site be remediated before any development can take place. There are several local examples of previous landfill sites being remediated, including the sites now occupied by Crown Casino/Resort and Optus Stadium.

Reflecting the complexities of the site, a staged method has been selected for the redevelopment of the site. The remediation objective is to level and compact the site, keeping waste in place under a cap to act as a barrier between the waste and the future development. 

The first stage is focused on leveling and capping the site. This will take an estimated 12 months. The second stage involves testing to confirm the leveled land is suitable for its intended purpose. This will take approximately 6-12 months. The final stage is the construction of buildings on the site. 

The current Remediation Action Plan details the first stage in the remediation process. The steps in this first stage are summarised below.

Step 1. Excavate sand from the west of the site and use this sand to begin construction of the west‑east 4m high swale (channel) between the proposed residential and commercial/industrial areas. 

Step 2. Excavate waste in the proposed residential area and deposit it in the west excavation created during Step 1.

Step 3. Excavate sand to create a 6m wide buffer from west to east across the site. The buffer created will separate the capped waste remaining in the commercial/industrial area from the residential development.

Step 4. Level the site – works will begin in the west, using the excavation created during Step 1 to hold material, and will move progressively east until the entire site is leveled. 

Step 5. Build the cap including spreading and compacting rocks sourced from the site.

Future iterations of the Remediation Action Plan will address the second and final stages of the redevelopment.

For more information on the RAP please see Project Information Sheet – Project Overview and Remediation Methodology.