A MAJOR planning battle looms over an application to spread a sewage by-product on land at Tea Tree in Tasmania.

Brighton Council has refused an application by waste management company Veolia Environmental Services to spread the biosolids on part of its 400ha property, the Hobart Mercury reports. 

Biosolids are generally treated sludge - a by-product of sewage treatment plants.

The council refused the application on the grounds it was contrary to the purposes of the Landscape and Skyline Conservation Zone.

A planner's report to the council said the land was cleared in parts and contained significant landscape and conservation values which should be protected, including forested skylines and prominent ridgelines and hills.

The Hobart Mercury reports that objectors are certain the company will appeal but Veolia Environmental Services' Tasmanian acting group manager Dannie Cowen said Veolia was considering its options.

In September last year Veolia announced it planned to rehabilitate the 400 ha property with recycled organic material which had water content and nutrient value.

Veolia said the ultimate aim was to develop the property to showcase the re-use of organic materials for land rehabilitation to Tasmanian farmers and landowners.

It said the property was a typical long-used rural property affected by soil erosion, overgrazing and deforestation.  Use of organic materials would improve soil quality, conserve existing vegetation, help re-establish native fauna and flora and rehabilitate soil-eroded areas.

Veolia said tree planting would enhance a skyline impacted by deforestation, benefiting the amenity of the Tea Tree area.

However, objector William Watts said the proposal involved trucking into the valley waste from eight sewage treatment plants, three fish farms and a BOC gas plant.

He said it would involve an estimated 4800 tonnes of liquid and solid waste a year.

Dr Watts said no scientific or environmental research had been presented to support the company's rehabilitation showcase plan.

He said objectors expected a long fight with Veolia.

Read more at the Hobart Mercury