In dismissing the appeal, the Land and Environment Court noted the Rosalind Park project was a State Significant Development and acknowledged the importance of SGL bringing an additional gas supply to the New South Wales market.

SGL said it would now construct its new 14.5 petajoule (PJ) per annum gas plant and resume its drilling program within Stage II of the Camden Gas Project.

Sydney Gas’ chief executive officer, Dr Bruce Butcher, said, “We are delighted to be able to put the frustrations of the past few months behind us and to be able to now get on and construct our new gas plant so that Sydney Gas can fulfil gas sales contracts with AGL Wholesale Gas Ltd that are worth in excess of $450 million.”

“Contemporaneously with the construction of Sydney Gas’ new gas plant, work will continue within our second project area at Wyong. Following the successful drilling and fraccing program recently completed, new sites are currently being selected that will enable Sydney Gas to soon begin another drilling program at Wyong.”