Woolworths has been blocked from expanding a Central Coast distribution centre after a field of critically-endangered orchids was found growing in a lawn planted on the site by the supermarket giant.
Around 500 Wyong sun orchids were found on the site at Warnervale, making it the largest population of the rare species ever discovered and representing 35 per cent of the total population.
The alliance of orchids - known as thelymitra adorata - was discovered growing in the logistic hub's 1.5-hectare exotic grass lawn, which is regularly mowed, and were not present when the facility was first built in 2005.
Woolworths was seeking state government approval for a $67.6 million expansion of its regional distribution centre and warehouse, that would have added another 27,700 square metres of storage space, or roughly 3.5 football fields.
However the discovery of the deep-blue orchid, which is believed to only be found in a 10-square-kilometre region on the Central Coast, meant the development was referred to the federal government to be assessed against the Environment Protection and Biodiversity Conservation Act.
Federal Environment Minister Tanya Plibersek agreed with her department's finding that "the proposed action will have clearly unacceptable impacts" on the protected species and signed off on the veto to kill the project.
Less than 1500 specimens of the Wyong sun orchid have been found in the past 30 years, and some are "likely to be the same individuals recorded more than once".
A report prepared by an environmental consultant for Woolworths said the discovery of the orchid "on the areas of mown exotic grass was an unexpected find after design had been completed".
"The presence of T.adorata was not expected in this location, due to the site previously having been filled during its original construction approximately 15 years ago," the document stated.
Translocation of the orchids was deemed a "high risk of failure", and planning documents reveal the proposal could not be redesigned to achieve the requirements of the expansions without using the space where they were growing.
Woolworths was contacted but declined to comment. It remains to be seen what will happen to the current facility, which the company previously stated was "outdated and needs an upgrade in technology to increase capacity to handle more product lines and provide faster deliveries".
Located just off the Pacific Highway next to the Warnervale airport, the upgraded facility was expected to bring up to 240 permanent jobs to the region.
In documents lodged with the Department of Environment, the company defended its "satisfactory record [as] responsible environmental management".
Wyong MP David Harris welcomed the development when it was first announced.
"I am hopeful a compromise can be found that will protect this important critical species while allowing Woolworths to expand its important operations on the Central Coast," he said on Thursday.
"Of course I support initiatives that create more local jobs for our growing community while also protecting the unique environment we all love on the Central Coast."
