Albion Park Rail Bypass

Dear Sir/madam

I write to you in regard to the Albion Park Bypass project.

I am concerned about the impact that the project will have on the Dairy Farm located on the Illawarra Highway. I understand that 27 hectares of agricultural land will be taken to build the road. This is more than double the amount of land identified in the original road corridor.

It is important to me that our future generations be able to feed themselves with Australian grown produce. Agricultural ground is a precious resource that needs to be protected. Once this land is under a road it can never be used to produce food for our nation again.

I ask that the road design be reviewed carefully and creatively to find an alternative solution to the current design, that will reduce the amount of quality agricultural land taken by this project.

Regards
Joanne de Jong

Dear Sir/Madam,

I write to you in regard to the proposed Albion Park Bypass project.

I am concerned about the impact that the project will have on the Dairy Farm located on the Illawarra Highway. I understand that 27 hectares of agricultural land will be taken to build the road. This is more than double the amount of land identified in the original road corridor.

It is important to me that our future generations be able to feed themselves with Australian grown produce. Agricultural ground is a precious resource that needs to be protected. Once this land is under a road it can never be used to produce food for our nation again.

I ask that the road design be reviewed carefully and creatively to find an alternative solution to the current design, that will reduce the amount of quality agricultural land taken by this project.


Regards, Mitz Perez

In response to community consultation on the above project I would like to make a submission against the proposed bypass based on the conclusions stated in the environmental impact study:


The proposed bypass would impact:

* 110 Eastern Flame Pea plants, an ENDANGERED species in the Illawarra

* Seven HECTARES of Illawarra Lowlands Grassy Woodlands ENDANGERED ecological community

* Seven HECTARES of freshwater wetlands ENDANGERED
ecological community.

The wiping-out of any ENDANGERED ecological community is not acceptable and I would like there to be a re-evaluation of how to go about clearing traffic congestion without sacrificing any of these precious natural remnants, which support, feed and house our local fauna.

The report goes on to state that:

To compensate for impacts to threatened ecological communities and species, biodiversity offsets would be provided under the Framework for Biodiversity Assessment. A Construction Environmental Management Plan, including a Flora and Fauna Management Plan, would be developed to manage potential environmental impacts during construction. After construction, the site would be
rehabilitated and landscaped.

... but this will not save and preserve what we currently have and it's way too precious to just trample over and destroy.

Please re-consider the bypass options and come up with a better plan that doesn't seriously impact any ecological communities, let alone endangered ones.

Dear Sir/madam



I write to you in regard to the Albion Park Rail Bypass project.



I am concerned about the impact that the project will have on the Dairy Farm located on the Illawarra Highway. I understand that 27 hectares of agricultural land will be taken to build the road. This is more than double the amount of land identified in the original road corridor.



It is important to me that our future generations be able to feed themselves with Australian grown produce. Agricultural ground is a precious resource that needs to be protected. Once this land is under a road it can never be used to produce food for our nation again.



I ask that the road design be reviewed carefully and creatively to find an alternative solution to the current design, that will reduce the amount of quality agricultural land taken by this project.



Regards

Dear Sir/Madam,

I am writing to you with concerns relating to the Albion Park Rail Bypass project, specifically the forced acquisition of 27 hectares of highly valuable and productive dairy land.
In a time when farmers are under financial pressure and farmers rights of land utilisation are increasingly restricted, it is amazing that this relatively large parcel of land can be resumed with little or no concern for the viability of a highly efficient and well run farm.
I urge that more thought and consultation take place to create if not a win-win scenario then an outcome that everyone can live with. We would all like to have a easier trip to and from Sydney but not at the expense of ever decreasing farmland.

Yours sincerely,

Conan Watts

Dear Sir/madam

I write to you in regard to the Albion Park Bypass project.

I am concerned about the impact that the project will have on the Dairy Farm located on the Illawarra Highway. I understand that 27 hectares of agricultural land will be taken to build the road. This is more than double the amount of land identified in the original road corridor.

It is important to me that our future generations be able to feed themselves with Australian grown produce. Agricultural ground is a precious resource that needs to be protected. Once this land is under a road it can never be used to produce food for our nation again.

I ask that the road design be reviewed carefully and creatively to find an alternative solution to the current design, that will reduce the amount of quality agricultural land taken by this project.

Regards
Natalie

Dear Sir/madam

I write to you in regard to the Albion Park Rail Bypass project.

I am very concerned about the impact that such projects have on the local Agricultural land . I understand that this particular project in its current form will take 27 hectares of agricultural land from a local Dairy Farm.
I believe that we as a community do not realise the value of our coastal agricultural land which is being lost to infrastructure and development at alarming rates.
As a dairyfarmer I would like to point out that our coastal areas and in particular the South Coast of NSW allow Dairyfarming and other Agricultural Activities to be successfully undertaken without the need for extensive irrigation and high inputs thus making them highly sustainable and environmentally friendly areas for agricultural production. Therefore extremely valuable to our community as a whole.
The world is facing a future were we will struggle to feed the population . It seems crazy to be putting good sustainable agricultural land under roads and infrastructure if it can be avoided as once this land is gone it cannot be reproduced.

I ask that the road design be reviewed carefully and creatively to find an alternative solution to the current design, that will reduce the amount of quality agricultural land taken by this project and all future projects should be undertaken with agricultural land preservation being a high priority and this sort of land is only going to become more important to our future food security.

Regards
Brian Anderson

Dear Sir/Madam,
I am writing to you in regards to the Albion Park Bypass Project.
I an concerned about the impact that that this project will have on the dairy farm located on the Illawarra Highway. I understand 27 hectares of agricultural land will be taken to build the road. This is more than double the land identified in the original land corridor.
It is important that future generations of Australian be able to feed themselves with good Australian grown produce. Agricultural land is a precious resource that needs to be protected. Once a road is built it will never be used to produce food again.
I ask that the road design be reviewed carefully to find an alternate solution to the current design, that will reduce the amount of quality agricultural land being taken by this project. Regards

Dear Sir/madam

I write to you in regard to the Albion Park Rail Bypass project.

I am extremely unhappy that despite promises to the contrary a significant amount of agricultural land will be consumed in creating this bypass. Albion Park has largely been built on the back of fertile and productive agricultural land. The men and women who have labored on the land have created the culture and fabric that has made Albion Park the thriving and competitive community many enjoy today. To remove 27 hectares of prime land so central to the Albion Park community is short sighted. With the quality of engineers and designers on this project I am sure an alternative route can be found. I challenge all those involved to keep to the original amount of land for taking and not further impinge on this vital Australian resource.

Additionally I see absolutely no advantage for the community of albion park, the on and off ramps are proposed only and I can see no other advantage for the thousands of people that live in the proposed area which this bypass will directly impact.

Finally, the flooding issue in Albion Park is a another significant aspect of this project which I do not feel is adequately addressed in this proposal.

Regards

Dear Sir/madam

I write to you in regard to the Albion Park Rail Bypass project.

AS chairperson of the South Coast & Highlands Dairy Industry Group I wish to have it acknowledged that the impact the project will have on the Dairy Farm located on the Illawarra Highway will greatly impede their ability to sustainably farm into the future . Agricultural land is being eroded away by progress in housing at a huge rate ,but the ability to continue feeding this ever growing population must also be acknowledged
The large area of land that is being claimed is paramount to the future running of this particular dairy operation & acknowledgement of the major upheaval to their existing dairy , home , shed's etc , as an added extra to the everyday management of their dairy & livestock ,as well as having to the manage the whole rebuilding of the operation ,is having a huge impact on this well extremely managed farming system

I understand that 27 hectares of agricultural land will be taken to build the road. This is more than double the amount of land identified in the original road corridor.

It is important to me & our industry as a whole that our future generations be able to feed themselves with Australian grown produce. Agricultural ground is a precious resource that needs to be protected. Once this land is under a road it can never be used to produce food for our nation again.

I ask that the road design be reviewed carefully and creatively to find an alternative solution to the current design, that will reduce the amount of quality agricultural land taken by this project.

Regards




Tracey Russell
Chairperson
South Coast & Highlands
Dairy Industry Group

I travel through Albion Park Rail between 5 and 6 days a week in both directions and have been using this road for over 10 years to commute to the Sydney region for work-related purposes.

Throughout this time, with the growing population in the Albion Park and Shellharbour areas, more and more people are using the Princes Hwy as their only access road to head north or south.

My observations during this period has been a number of other developments which include:

- More infrastructure development with a widening of the lanes and more traffic lights; and
- More commercial development

The combination of these three elements (Increase in population, additional traffic conditions, and more commercial development), as well as the Prices Hwy being a "convenient" access road, has caused the significant traffic congestion issues.

Therefore, I support the long-term development of the Albion Park Rail By-Pass, however, there are several short-term opportunities that should be considered if they haven't already.

Of the three elements I've identified, in my view, we have the ability to control and influence the traffic conditions more than any other.

Therefore, understanding where and why the congestion is caused, we can then put in control measures to assist in the traffic flow through this area.

The most significant bottleneck is the junction of the Princes Hwy and the Illawarra Hwy, both morning and afternoon. The installation of the "traffic light" system does allow for timely movement through this junction, however, it also causes the build-up of congestion which brings traffic to a "go-slow".

The Illawarra Hwy is a major access road for residents in the Albion Park area, however, a short-term solution would be to remove the right hand turn south bound from the Princes Hwy onto the Illawarra Hwy with the new alternate route being through either:

1. Marshall Mount; or
2. Commuters taking the Hayward Bay exit, turning right onto the overpass, then left at Harrigan Ford with a short term solution of opening Yallah Road to connect with the Illawarra Hwy.

In the mornings, commuters from the Illawarra Hwy can continue to access the Princes Hwy as normal to head north or south.

The other points of congestion are all created by the traffic light system in which at least one set of traffic lights can be removed. That is, the junction of the Princes Hwy and Creamery Road should be removed. Creamery Road should not be an access point to the Princes Hwy.

Next, remove the right-hand turn option from Station Road onto the Princes Hwy (south bound).

In addition, many heavy vehicles from the industrial/commercial eastern side of the Princes Hwy require to head north bound, therefore, they turn right onto Airport Road, do a U-turn at the roundabout and then turn left to head north on the Princes Hwy. There is opportunity on the Princes Hwy for road-widening at that junction to remove the left-hand traffic light, and create an easy-merge lane to move onto the Princes Hwy.

In my view, if these simple initiatives were implemented, much of the congestion would be eased in the short-term, in preparation for the long-term future of the by-pass.

Please contact me if you wish further input from me.

Dear Sir/madam

I write to you in regard to the Albion Park Bypass project.

I am concerned about the impact that the project will have on the Dairy Farm located on the Illawarra Highway. I understand that 27 hectares of agricultural land will be taken to build the road. This is more than double the amount of land identified in the original road corridor.

It is important to me that our future generations be able to feed themselves with Australian grown produce. Agricultural ground is a precious resource that needs to be protected. Once this land is under a road it can never be used to produce food for our nation again.

I ask that the road design be reviewed carefully and creatively to find an alternative solution to the current design, that will reduce the amount of quality agricultural land taken by this project.

Regards

The proposed Albion Park by-pass is a giant levee bank across a flood plain. It will cause significant flooding and hardship to the residents of Albion Park, Albion Park Rail and the yet to be developed Calderwood Valley despite the best efforts of the designers of the project to provide drainage.
My family have lived in the area for well over 200 years and we are aware of the issues heavy rain causes. In living memory there have been rain events that have turned the area of the proposed by-pass (including the centre of Albion Park) into part of Lake Illawarra.
The run off from the dramatic increase in residential development in the last 30 odd years has now turned relatively moderate rain into floods, this will be increased many times over by the Calderwood Valley development and all this water will be held back by the earthworks of the by-pass stoping the water from draining into Lake Illawarra and out to sea, causing flooding in the area to the south and west of the by-pass.
The only sensible compromise would be a bridge system similar to the Taree by-pass, although more expensive a bridge would
a. Have less long term environmental impact
b. Be less likely to cause flooding in Albion Park and Albion Park Rail
c. Have less impact on Agriculture businesses in the area

Dear Sir/Madam,

RE: Albion Park Bypass Project

I am writing to you in regards to the abovementioned project.

The proposed new road will be cutting through and taking 27 hectares of the Tate Dairy Farm located on the Illawarra Highway.

It seems unbelievable to me that you would take up so much of this prime agricultural land for a road project!

Once this land becomes part of the road it can never be used for farming again.

This farm is one of the last remaining dairy farms in the Illawarra.

Surely the road design can be reviewed to cut back the impact on this farming family.

We need to support Primary Industry, support our dairy farmers, support our locals.

Dear Sirs/mesdames
I am writing about the Albion Park Rail Bypass road project and wish to express some objections to certain aspects of the project which, I feel, have not been adequately addressed. Whilst acknowledging the need for a bypass with perceived increase in traffic volumes and a reduction in travel time, I feel there is a permanent detrimental effect on the continued efficiency of the 'Tate' Dairy Farm business to provide an agricultural product for the Australian consumer market. This farm is recognised as one of the efficient producers of high quality milk; the farmers themselves are young and are mentors for some of the others young farmers in the Albion Park region as well as in the Shoalhaven region. I have been involved in dairy farming over 40 years and my husband is a 5th generation dairy farmer in Australia and we have been impressed with the Tate brothers, particularly over the past 20 years, as farmers, as agricultural businessmen and as role models for the generation of young farmers on the South Coast of NSW. The loss of 27 ha (67 acres) of prime agricultural land, used not only for dairy cattle grazing, but also for the production of stored fodder in the form of hay and silage, will have a detrimental effect on the farm's efficiency. It appears that this loss of 27ha is more than double the originally projected farmland loss to the road project. I believe that a more creative and pragmatic approach to the design of the Bypass should make more use of flyovers and /or bridges in order to maximise the retention of more of the prime agricultural land, and a concerted effort be made to use the less prime land for the Bypass construction. Such a compromise may cost more in the short term but will be a win in the long term because once land is cover by solid construction such as roads and solid filled banks, it is lost to agriculture and food production FOREVER. Another concern is the impact of solid wall ramps and banks in forming a type of dam wall and not allowing the rapid dispersal of rain/storm/flood water. Flyovers and bridges serve to allow the rapid dispersal of excess water into existing water courses and do not encourage water to lie on the pastures for any length of time, thereby 'souring' or 'clogging up' the pastures creating an unhealthy stagnant water issue. Australia, as a whole, has relatively poor soil, but on the South Coast, the country is blessed with outstanding pockets of productive agricultural land.. A monetary compensation for prime agricultural land is a one-off gain and is a very short-sighted solution. Apart from the loss of land, the Tate brothers and their families will lose a family home as well as farm buildings which are an integral part of the farming operation. The is a public outcry when good farming land is sold to overseas buyers and the profits do not stay in Australia and yet , in this case, such prime agricultural land will be lost forever to food production. I encourage the planners of this project to find a better, more ethical solution to minimise the amount of prime quality land loss and to seek ways of compromising with use of the less prime land for bridges and flyovers, for ramps and cycle paths.

Dear Sirs/mesdames
I am writing about the Albion Park Rail Bypass road project and wish to express some objections to certain aspects of the project which, I feel, have not been adequately addressed. Whilst acknowledging the need for a bypass with perceived increase in traffic volumes and a reduction in travel time, I feel there is a permanent detrimental effect on the continued efficiency of the 'Tate' Dairy Farm business to provide an agricultural product for the Australian consumer market. This farm is recognised as one of the efficient producers of high quality milk; the farmers themselves are young and are mentors for some of the others young farmers in the Albion Park region as well as in the Shoalhaven region. I have been involved in dairy farming over 40 years and my husband is a 5th generation dairy farmer in Australia and we have been impressed with the Tate brothers, particularly over the past 20 years, as farmers, as agricultural businessmen and as role models for the generation of young farmers on the South Coast of NSW. The loss of 27 ha (67 acres) of prime agricultural land, used not only for dairy cattle grazing, but also for the production of stored fodder in the form of hay and silage, will have a detrimental effect on the farm's efficiency. It appears that this loss of 27ha is more than double the originally projected farmland loss to the road project. I believe that a more creative and pragmatic approach to the design of the Bypass should make more use of flyovers and /or bridges in order to maximise the retention of more of the prime agricultural land, and a concerted effort be made to use the less prime land for the Bypass construction. Such a compromise may cost more in the short term but will be a win in the long term because once land is cover by solid construction such as roads and solid filled banks, it is lost to agriculture and food production FOREVER. Another concern is the impact of solid wall ramps and banks in forming a type of dam wall and not allowing the rapid dispersal of rain/storm/flood water. Flyovers and bridges serve to allow the rapid dispersal of excess water into existing water courses and do not encourage water to lie on the pastures for any length of time, thereby 'souring' or 'clogging up' the pastures creating an unhealthy stagnant water issue. Australia, as a whole, has relatively poor soil, but on the South Coast, the country is blessed with outstanding pockets of productive agricultural land.. A monetary compensation for prime agricultural land is a one-off gain and is a very short-sighted solution. Apart from the loss of land, the Tate brothers and their families will lose a family home as well as farm buildings which are an integral part of the farming operation. The is a public outcry when good farming land is sold to overseas buyers and the profits do not stay in Australia and yet , in this case, such prime agricultural land will be lost forever to food production. I encourage the planners of this project to find a better, more ethical solution to minimise the amount of prime quality land loss and to seek ways of compromising with use of the less prime land for bridges and flyovers, for ramps and cycle paths.

Dear Sir/Madam

I write with regard to the Albion Park Bypass project which is a concern on a number of fronts, as follows:

(1) Dairy Farm - the project will have a detrimental impact on the dairy farm located on the Illawarra Highway where twenty-seven hectares of agricultural land will be eradicated to make way for the road (more than double the amount of land originally identified for the road corridor). There are individual livelihoods at stake and the farm produces a substantial amount of milk for the region and also the state (it is the second largest producer within in 150km radius of Sydney and ranked in the top 25% of NSW dairy farms in terms of productivity). Reducing production capacity will result in redundancies, deplete the ability to supply ever-increasing milk demands, and may force the closure of the farm;

(2) Community - redundancies and closures will have a harmful effect on the local community, as will the loss of a working farm that is representative of the Illawarra and its industrious, hard-working residents. Further, the region is a non-urbanised farming/coastal area where open land is a commodity of value to all who live in the surrounding area. Not value in pecuniary terms but value in relation to the non-urbanised nature of the area and the large, green, open spaces. There is enough land being developed for housing without unnecessarily running a highway through a much appreciated greenbelt of productive farmland when there are alternatives; and

(3) Food Production - agricultural land is a precious resource that should be protected so that future generations are able to feed themselves with Australian grown produce yet once this land is under a road, it can never be used to produce food for the nation again. Overall and as is evident everywhere, there is already considerable reduction of the amount of quality agricultural land across the region and state. Significant research has been conducted both in Australia and worldwide which highlights the negative impact of reducing farmland and rather than choose the seemingly cheaper and easier option, it would be a progressive and positive move for state and local government to consider and implement alternatives.

Based on the above points, I would suggest that the road design be reviewed carefully and creatively to find an alternative solution to the current plan. There are clearly short term and long term impacts that are likely to cost individuals, the local community and the region at large whereas, from my understanding, there are alternatives that will have a far less negative effect over the course of time.

Dear Sir/madam

I write to you in regard to the Albion Park Bypass project.

I am concerned about the impact that the project will have on the Dairy Farm located on the Illawarra Highway. I understand that 27 hectares of agricultural land will be taken to build the road. This is more than double the amount of land identified in the original road corridor.

It is important to me that our future generations be able to feed themselves with Australian grown produce. Agricultural ground is a precious resource that needs to be protected. Once this land is under a road it can never be used to produce food for our nation again.

I ask that the road design be reviewed carefully and creatively to find an alternative solution to the current design, that will reduce the amount of quality agricultural land taken by this project.

Regards,
Sharon

Dear Sir/madam



I write to you in regard to the Albion Park Bypass project.



I am concerned about the impact that the project will have on the Dairy Farm located on the Illawarra Highway. I understand that 27 hectares of agricultural land will be taken to build the road. This is more than double the amount of land identified in the original road corridor.



It is important to me that our future generations be able to feed themselves with Australian grown produce. Agricultural ground is a precious resource that needs to be protected. Once this land is under a road it can never be used to produce food for our nation again.



I ask that the road design be reviewed carefully and creatively to find alternative solutions to the current design, that will reduce the amount of quality agricultural land taken by this project.





Thanks
Chris Raftery

Dear Sir/madam

I write to you in regard to the Albion Park Bypass project.

I am concerned about the impact that the project will have on the Dairy Farm located on the Illawarra Highway. I understand that 27 hectares of agricultural land will be taken to build the road. This is more than double the amount of land identified in the original road corridor.

It is important to me that our future generations be able to feed themselves with Australian grown produce. Agricultural ground is a precious resource that needs to be protected. Once this land is under a road it can never be used to produce food for our nation again.

I ask that the road design be reviewed carefully and creatively to find an alternative solution to the current design, that will reduce the amount of quality agricultural land taken by this project.

Regards
Georgie Binns