Dangerous goods storage facility takes shape
The establishment of a storage facility for dangerous goods on the outskirts of Walvis Bay is at an advanced stage.
The location of the facility is en route to the airport and in the vicinity of the Chinese marble processing plant. Walvis Bay residents previously opposed an application by Native Storage Facility to use an existing communications bunker east of Walvis Bay as a temporary storage facility for dangerous goods, and demanded that an alternative site be identified.
Goods to be stored at the envisaged facility include ammunition, detonators, emulsion, batteries containing sodium, ammonium nitrate, uranium oxide and batteries containing sulphuric acid.
The management committee (MC) of the Walvis Bay municipal council recommended during the last ordinary council meeting on Tuesday, that council leases 10 hectares of land located at the remainder of Farm 38 to Native Storage Facility (NSF) for the purpose of a storage facility for dangerous goods for a period of 20 years.
The area is being leased at a cost of N$55 000 plus 15% VAT (N$8 250) monthly escalating at 10% per annum. There are more than 20 clearly stipulated requirements the company needs to adhere to.
The MC also recommended that in considering the application, safety and security aspects should be measured carefully by council and stipulated that all relevant legislation and regulations with regard to safety should be adhered to.
In this regard, the necessary environmental clearances should be obtained, the national safety regulations should be adhered to, approvals from the ministry of urban and rural development, as well as mines and energy, should be obtained and the applicant should adhere to council's standards of building, health and fire regulations.
The MC emphasised that the rehabilitation of the site after the applicant vacates the property should also be addressed as a priority and said specific arrangements should be agreed upon to ensure that rehabilitation of the area will be taken care of.
The MC thus recommended that over and above the normal conditions of the lease agreement, an amount of N$100 000 be made available by the company as a refundable deposit to take care of rehabilitation should it be necessary. NSF was initially allocated a portion of land at Farm 58. The ownership of Farm 58 however rested with government at the time of the application.
Progress regarding the transfer of ownership to council hampered the process by the company to obtain all necessary approvals and studies for Farm 58.
NSF then applied for land at remainder of Farm 43. However, in this case the ministry of defence envisaged a sensitive project for the same area and rejected the co-existence of the two projects near each other.
NSF then opted for land at Farm 38 to establish the facility.
This application was considered by the general manager for community and economic development and approval was granted to NSF to start with the development of the facility on Farm 38 for a period of 12 months as from 31 July 2017 to 31 July 2018, as a trial period.
As part of the agreement between NSF and council, the company needed to submit a report on the progress of their operations during the trial period.
NSF presented a progress report to council on the operations of the facility to council at informal discussions on 18 May and also indicated the need to lease 10 hectares of Farm 38 for a period of 20 years.
OTIS FINCK
The location of the facility is en route to the airport and in the vicinity of the Chinese marble processing plant. Walvis Bay residents previously opposed an application by Native Storage Facility to use an existing communications bunker east of Walvis Bay as a temporary storage facility for dangerous goods, and demanded that an alternative site be identified.
Goods to be stored at the envisaged facility include ammunition, detonators, emulsion, batteries containing sodium, ammonium nitrate, uranium oxide and batteries containing sulphuric acid.
The management committee (MC) of the Walvis Bay municipal council recommended during the last ordinary council meeting on Tuesday, that council leases 10 hectares of land located at the remainder of Farm 38 to Native Storage Facility (NSF) for the purpose of a storage facility for dangerous goods for a period of 20 years.
The area is being leased at a cost of N$55 000 plus 15% VAT (N$8 250) monthly escalating at 10% per annum. There are more than 20 clearly stipulated requirements the company needs to adhere to.
The MC also recommended that in considering the application, safety and security aspects should be measured carefully by council and stipulated that all relevant legislation and regulations with regard to safety should be adhered to.
In this regard, the necessary environmental clearances should be obtained, the national safety regulations should be adhered to, approvals from the ministry of urban and rural development, as well as mines and energy, should be obtained and the applicant should adhere to council's standards of building, health and fire regulations.
The MC emphasised that the rehabilitation of the site after the applicant vacates the property should also be addressed as a priority and said specific arrangements should be agreed upon to ensure that rehabilitation of the area will be taken care of.
The MC thus recommended that over and above the normal conditions of the lease agreement, an amount of N$100 000 be made available by the company as a refundable deposit to take care of rehabilitation should it be necessary. NSF was initially allocated a portion of land at Farm 58. The ownership of Farm 58 however rested with government at the time of the application.
Progress regarding the transfer of ownership to council hampered the process by the company to obtain all necessary approvals and studies for Farm 58.
NSF then applied for land at remainder of Farm 43. However, in this case the ministry of defence envisaged a sensitive project for the same area and rejected the co-existence of the two projects near each other.
NSF then opted for land at Farm 38 to establish the facility.
This application was considered by the general manager for community and economic development and approval was granted to NSF to start with the development of the facility on Farm 38 for a period of 12 months as from 31 July 2017 to 31 July 2018, as a trial period.
As part of the agreement between NSF and council, the company needed to submit a report on the progress of their operations during the trial period.
NSF presented a progress report to council on the operations of the facility to council at informal discussions on 18 May and also indicated the need to lease 10 hectares of Farm 38 for a period of 20 years.
OTIS FINCK
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