Increasing residential development in metropolitan areas previously occupied by agricultural producers, such as market gardeners, has resulted in land use conflicts from concerns regarding exposure to chemical spray drift.
The Guidelines for the separation of agricultural and residential land use explain the Western Australian Department of Health’s minimum requirements for establishing buffer areas for the separation of commercial agricultural land from residential land use.
Advice is incorporated from Guidance for the assessment of environmental factors – separation distances between industrial and sensitive land uses (external site) (Environmental Protection Authority, 2005) along with current scientific knowledge and accepted national practice in this area.
These guidelines promote the establishment of effective buffer areas at the planning proposal stage of new residential subdivision and allow all parties concerned to understand the minimum expectations for buffer areas and alleviate impacts of chemical use.