University of Sydney - Engineering & Technology Precinct

My submission concerns the driveway of Blackwattle Creek Lane into
Shepherd St, opposite Ivy St. I saw no obvious treatment of it in the
DA. I live opposite (one of the "resident innovators" 🤓) and
am concerned about its future use.
At present it is a shabby relic:
*cars and trucks in and out when it is clearly one-way
*pedestrian access an afterthought, including patrons of Seymour
Centre and car park
*bikes risky
Has proper planning gone into managing traffic flow and amenity for
other users?

The additional loading zone for the proposed new Biomedical/Chemical
Engineering Building should be reconsidered.

The State Significant Development Application (SSDA) 6123 clearly
states there should be one consolidated loading zone located near the
corner of Abercrombie Street and Shepherd Street. This would be placed
close to the new building planned for Civil/Mechanical Engineering in
SSDA 6123 and would certainly support the large items required for
these schools. The proposed application SSD 17_8636 now proposes an
additional loading zone on Shepherd Street between Abercrombie and
Cleveland Street for the new Biomedical/Chemical Engineering Building.
This new loading zone should be consolidated and/or replaced with the
loading zone approved in SSDA 6123 for the new Civil/Mechanical
schools. Alternatively, there are options for the university to
consider a loading zone that links toward the West and connects with
Butlin Avenue which is more internal and central to the university
campus. It remains unclear why an extra traffic burden beyond that
approved in SSDA 6123 should be placed toward the pathway that links
to Redfern station. The planned new Civil/Mechanical Building will
certainly require a loading zone - this would then result in two
loading zones several hundreds meters from each other on Shepherd
Street.

SUBMISSION AND OBJECTIONS - REDEVELOPMENT OF THE SYDNEY UNIVERSITY
ENGINEERING BUILDING AND .
ENGINEERING LINK BUILDING.

NOISE

The proposed development has been subject to a Noise and Vibration
Assessment which shows that noise impacts during construction will be
significant. The University must monitor noise along its Shepherd
Street boundary throughout the construction period. It must also
maintain a complaints line and ensure that noise complaints from
Darlington residents are responded to promptly and effectively.


OBJECTION TO PROPOSED BUILDING ACTIVITIES OUTSIDE NORMAL HOURS

Building work should not be allowed outside normal hours allowed by
the Sydney City Council. The EIS states that the University may seek
out of hours permits from the Council for work phases such as
termination and connection of services, floating of heavy plant,
cranage of demolition plant, and erection and reassembly of the tower
crane. These out of hours activities are not addressed in the noise
and vibration report accompanying the EIS and should not be permitted.


OBJECTION TO ARRANGEMENTS FOR SERVICE VEHICLE TRAFFIC

The EIS states that the University proposes that service vehicle
access to the loading area is to be from City Road or Abercrombie
Street, connecting to Maze Crescent with the objective of minimising
traffic along Shepherd Street. This is supported. It is also proposed
that the existing loading bay provided off Shepherd Street will
retained to service the ETP buildings. This aspect of the project
requires review.

The EIS states that "to facilitate loading and unloading to the
Electrical Engineering Building, a loading dock is proposed to be
located adjacent to the Link Building and the Mechanical Engineering
Building. Access to the loading dock is to be provided from
Blackwattle Creek Lane, with egress from the loading dock via Shepherd
Street near the School of Civil Engineering".
This loading dock is proposed to be used by Heavy Rigid Vehicles. Such
vehicles are 2.5 metres wide and have a 12.5m turning radius. Vehicles
of this size exiting from the University grounds and proceeding along
Shepherd Street will create unsafe conditions. The Shepherd Street
carriageway is only 4 metres wide, making it unsafe for a vehicle 2.5
metres wide to pass vehicles travelling in the opposite direction.
This aspect of the project is not viable and needs to be reconsidered.
The loading dock as proposed should be limited to small rigid vehicles
(ie four tonne trucks). Loading facilities for larger vehicles should
be provided with entry and egress via Abercrombie Street and/or City
Road.


SOLAR ACCESS AND OVERSHADOWING

Solar Access diagrams have been provided in an architectural design
package prepared by Cox Architects annexed to the EIS. The diagrams
provided are not adequate to support the statement that "the building
will have minimal impact upon the residential properties to the east
of Shepherd Street".


LIGHTING IMPACTS

The University should commit to reviewing and acting on complaints
from Darlington residents arising from any lighting impacts that
become apparent when the development is completed or nearing
completion.


LANDSCAPE DESIGN

The landscape design report is a whimsical document that looks back
230 years into history and some light years into space, while ignoring
the significant stand of tallowwoods on the nearby Engineering car
park, and the Darlington residential area which extends to within 100
metres of the proposed building.

ENDS

I live at the corner of Calder Road and Shepherd streets in Darlington
and I wish to object to the proposed loading entry and especially exit
arrangements. Large trucks exiting from the University opposite my
house are a danger as they cannot make the turn into Shepherd Street
safely and the back of the truck sometimes mounts the footpath in
front of my house. Also the street is too narrow for such large trucks
to pass other cars safely.

I am also very concerned that large trucks will damage the tallowwod
grove on the car park as they pass through. This must be avoided.

I am also very concerned about noise from the construction.
Noise from the University is a problem already. This project must have
noise monitoring at the University boundary with Shepherd Street and
complaints from residents must be responded to
quickly.

Submission/Objections - regarding redevelopment of Sydney University
Engineering and Link building.
------------------------------------------------------------

Noise and Vibration.

The noise levels during construction will be significant for residents
- especially along Shepherd St and nearby. The University needs to
monitor noise and vibration levels and respond to complaints from
Darlington residents that are affected.
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Objection to proposed construction outside hours set by Sydney City
Council

Building work should not be allowed outside the normal hours allowed
by the Sydney City Council. Building work that is conducted needs to
be addressed in a separate noise and vibration report/ Environmental
Impact Statement.
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Objection to service vehicle traffic on Shepherd St

If the loading bay accessed by Shepherd St is retained and used by
heavy rigid vehicles, unsafe road conditions will be created by their
size; currently Shepherd St is restricted to 2 tonne vehicles and less
per SCC. Smaller vehicles only should access this loading bay with
heavy rigid vehicles only able to use City Road and Abercrombie St as
access points.
-----------

Overshadowing and solar access.

Properties to the east of Shepherd St will be significantly
overshadowed by the new building and lose solar access.

-----------

Increase in foot traffic in Darlington area that is already exhausted
with students walking on streets due to overcrowded footpaths. Nature
strips already constantly damaged by students due to walking over
plants and dumping rubbish.

Privacy Issue to Darlington residents, height of building and amount
of glass, allows residents to be seen in our backyards/courtyards. The
proposed development will have unacceptable and unreasonable impacts
on the residential amenity of local Darlington residents.

Building is not in keeping with fabric and setting of the heritage in
the area. The size and materials are not compatible with the
surrounding built form and urban pattern.

The shadow diagrams are insufficient and do not display impact on
Darlington residents. The proposed development will likely have a
reasonable impact on the solar access of adjoining sites and will
cause sites in close proximity to lose required solar access.

Noise increased with Darlington community not only during construction
but increase of car traffic and foot traffic.

Increased car traffic causing area to be unsafe for cyclists. As
stated within the application, cycle commuting is increasing with this
being a means to reduce traffic congestion. This is untrue and
misleading, cyclist are not commonly seen commuting to the university
and will decrease as a result of increasingly unsafe conditions. As a
resident and cyclist this is an accurate statement.

Ambient light during night. The amount of lighting required after
hours will have a detrimental impact on local Darlington residents.

This application will have a large detrimental impact on local
Darlington residents, with no consideration or compensation given.

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