Beaches Link and Gore Hill Freeway Connection

I strongly object to the Beaches Link Tunnel for the following reasons;

The economics of the $10billion plus of taxpayers’ money to build the tunnel does not stack up and will have significant health impacts to people living in the area as well as our valued native landscape, fauna and flora. How can the government think this project is still a good idea particularly when considering the following:

1. The pandemic and future of work has changed the way we work forever and the majority of employees are now working and will continue to work from home. A number of city employers have already reduced their property footprint to 50% of employee numbers. Not only is there less economic reason for people to get into the city, which the bline has already improved significantly, but will also dramatically reduce the amenity of working from home. The noise impact from 24 hr tunnelling, 1500 trucks per day, vibrations which we have been told will be unbearable let alone the amount of traffic and thoroughfare through local streets throughout the project, is unacceptable for the government to expect any individual to endure.
2. Permanent pollution and damage to our children and communities health. How is it ok to have a dark cloud of pollution as per drawings from the project, that covers 3 public schools at this end of the tunnel in Balgowlah and over another 2 on the other end of the tunnel. It covers our house and the school we were planning to send our boys to but cannot and will not if this tunnel goes in. An unfiltered stack at the bottom of a hill when pollutants will rise and hit the hill and penetrate into children’s lungs has the potential for cancers and other free radical illnesses to occur and I fear will impact many in the area. It breaks my heart to think that the government is spending so much money on the tunnel and yet are so penny pinching when it comes to filtering the stack. It’s inhumane!
3. Having a tunnel built will mean that our area and beaches which are not set up to accomodate significantly more traffic will be overrun particularly in summer when various beaches such as Clontarf are already being closed at 8am in the morning due to full car parks.
4. There has been a complete lack of true engagement with the community and residents of the area. Plans have been changed a few times but never with consideration to the residents, only to benefit the government and property developers pockets. How can our government be so willing to bow down to property developers and their needs vs the community needs?
5. The government hasn’t considered all other alternatives
1. Congestion tax.
2. BLine bus routes.
3. Change of school start and finish times to use buses more efficiently.
Finally, the government has not considered the impact to local streets and communities that will become rat runs for fastest routes either to get to or avoid the tunnel. Our streets are already so conjested from local schools traffic, especially violet street, and people park in our street to catch the bus.

In summary, I strongly object to the tunnel and I ask that the government look seriously into alternatives for public transport rather than make a tunnel that won’t support those in the communities around it.

Lucy Nowland

I object to unfiltered smoke stacks. Filtering should be to world's best practice, not just an acceptable standard, particularly in Sydney's most densely populated area for schools. There's a potential for the government to be liable for huge amounts of compensation down the track if they get this wrong.

I object to the destruction of the highly valued urban wildlife corridor of Flat Rock Gully. I regularly see eastern water dragons, tree snakes and echidna here. This area is used extensively by a huge cross section of locals. The area may have been rehabilitated 40 years ago, but you can't tell the difference. The baseball diamond needs to be used instead if the project must go ahead. This area is cleared, buffered by sporting grounds, and only used by a very small cross section of society. Grass on pitch can be replaced when done. 40 plus years of tree growth and an urban oasis can not be replaced at flat rock Gully. This is complete sacrilege.

I object to 500 trucks travelling on Flat Rock drive every working day for 5 years during construction. This will have a huge safety impact on the countless kids in the area and residents.

I object to another toll road with the beaches link with minimal consideration given to public transport. We don't need the link, there are better options.
The project is all pain, no gain for locals and a misuse of state funds

Dear NSW Major Project

I wish to record my objections to the Beaches Link Tunnel / Road project.

Overall
From the EIS documentation, at a high level I can see that the total Tunnel cost is estimated at $12 billion dollars. Further, I see an estimate of a 10% reduction in traffic along Military Road. It's an interesting equation which in my mind does not add up in any way - most especially (but not limited to) the devastation that will be caused to our local environment.

Objection: I object to the staggering waste of money on a project that will cause so much harm to the local community.

Tunnel justification
Following the impacts of COVID-19 which we have felt over the preceding twelve months, I find it utterly astonishing that any Government would seek to destroy a beautiful local environment which is invaluable to myself and my fellow local residents for the sole purpose of reducing traffic congestion along Military Road by a mere 10%. I assume the data used as the basis for this project pre-dates the impact of COVID-19, and that data and modelling assumptions have not taken into account the changed world we find ourselves in, making this whole project one that is based on false data and outdated assumptions.

Objection: I object to this project being scoped on incorrect data and outdated assumptions.

Impacts of construction
The total number of vehicles going in and out per day is over 3000, working out to be close to 1 large truck every minute from Balgowlah, or 4½ vehicles per minute across all sites. How are these numbers considered to be something that could be accepted by local residents. This is a quiet residential area - one that the Tunnel project seeks to obliterate to pieces over 7 years. Destroying our environment and causing untold noise, traffic and construction pollution over a 7 year period.
Impacts of tunnelling
The EIS states they have assessed that 853 properties in Seaforth / Clontarf will experience noise from tunnelling above 35dB(A) (the night-time limit) of which 373 are also over 45dB(A)(3). They have also assessed that 325 properties in Seaforth / Clontarf will experience vibration above the criteria for human comfort. Based on this data alone the project should not be allowed to proceed - if there has been an assessment that even 1 person will experience vibration above the criteria for human comfort a project should not be able to proceed. Why else have the limits about what is able to be managed and what is not? Why does a Government allow itself to decide that these people should suffer through something which has already been assessed as being unsuitable?

Objection: I object to the impacts of construction, including but not limited to vibration impacts, on our local community.

Pollution from exhaust stacks
The facts are that unfiltered exhaust stacks for this project will be very close to homes and schools, located:
- on Balgowlah Golf course (within 100m of homes, 300m of schools, child care facilities and aged care)
- near Kirkwood Ave, Seaforth (within 300m of homes)
- at Ernest St, Cammeray (within 100m of homes, and 300m of Anzac Park Public School).

Again, why does this Government allow themselves to decide that the people who live, work and attend school in these areas should suffer this type of toxic pollution? Why does the Government believe that they can destroy the health of residents in such an apparent way and with a total disregard for them?

Objection: I object to the placement of the ventilation stacks and the proposal for them to be unfiltered.

Impacts on the environment
The EIS states that Burnt Bridge Creek is “a vital ecological corridor of regenerated habitat that provides a range of important habitats for a diversity of local flora and fauna”(9). Despite describing the creek as “vital”, the construction and tunnelling activities are projected to reduce the natural water flow of the creek by 79%. This will have a devastating effect on the plants and animals that currently rely on the creek. As part of construction, approximately 400,000 litres of wastewater per day will be discharged into the creek from the site that will run into Queenscliff lagoon.

The site is categorised as flood-prone, and it is unacceptable for any waste water, pollutants or contamination by construction soils to enter the creek system and impact all catchment areas downstream.

On this basis alone this project should be abandoned. How absolutely horrific that any one person or Government could allow a project to proceed knowing these devastating impacts on our local environment. How do the people pushing this project sleep at night knowing this environment will be obliterated?

Objection: I object to the devastating impacts on our local environment - impacts which can never be reversed.

Impacts on Local Roads
In other words, rat-run traffic will increase through North Balgowlah along Woodbine and Kitchener Streets. It will take short-cuts through Wanganella, Rickard and West Streets that will be unmanageable unless speed bumps or similar are installed to push the extra traffic to use Woodland or Condamine Streets, further increasing traffic on those streets. More traffic using these streets as rat-runs creates congestion at intersections, makes small residential streets more dangerous, and increases noise levels for residents at night.

Similar rat-running could occur south of Sydney Rd, along Ethel, Upper Beach and White Streets as traffic attempts to avoid increased delays on Sydney Rd and Condamine St.

These are quiet residential streets which are already this year in 2021 showing the strain as a result of ridiculous bus changes. These are streets where families with children and older residents live. Why does any individual or Government get to decide that they can change a local residents living conditions? It is not fair and not fathomable.

Objection: I object to the impact on our local roads.

Summary
There are multiple instances of old data being used, assumptions being outdated, guidelines being ignored, exceptions to regulations being granted, our local environment being obliterated, not to mention the devastating impacts of air / noise / traffic pollution. How we are even here discussing this project is beyond me. It does not stack up and should be shut down now, before anymore time and tax payer money is wasted on something that is not needed and not wanted.

Objection: I object to the impacts of construction of the tunnel and the impact of pollution if the tunnel ever was to be built.

In this submission I object to the main construction site being located in Flat Rock Gully, and the negative impact this is going to have on the wildlife in the area, the trees and vegetation, the disturbance of contaminated soil and the impact on traffic flows on Flat Rock Drive.

I am making this submission as I am extremely co ver es about the proposed beaches tunnel. My concerns are that:
- the construction phase will destroy both the the Balgowlah golf club green space as well as the Burnt bridge creek ecosystem.
- the new road and associated ventilation stacks will recreate significant health threats to both the Balgowlah boys students as well as the surrounding reudents. It has been clearly communicated that fine particulate polytion is a significant health risk as per numerous reports by the WHO.
- I am concerned by the lack of public transport options associated with the project. This in particular is a concern given the environmental crisis we are currently facing.

This project is a bad idea, that should not go ahead.

Back in March 2017 how two innocent 5 year olds with hopes and dreams for their neighbourhood, with new 'big'schools and a great future in the education precincts that this project seeks to impact so negatively. We naively thought that something so bad without merit could not continue to progress with further ignorance and contempt for the basics of a good life, clean air, an education, safe neighbourhood, the ability to sleep at night and space to play and enjoy just being kids.
5 years on these two 9 year olds dressed in their different primary school uniforms as young girls, when given the option of having their say on what this project means to them, it is all pain and no gain with extremely negative impacts for the rest of their school years from the ability to walk in the bush (Flat Rock Creek), run in the park (Tunks Park) or count the ducklings whilst rolling down a grass hill (Cammeray Golf Course), in summer go to Queenie for a bike ride past the lagoon and a swim in clear beautiful ocean water will all be taken away....for what a 5 minute faster journey from 2017 to 2037 and billions of dollars? Seriously, 20 years later 5 minutes more is all you've got, no wonder they have now ended up in the newspaper on a Sunday with adults who can't explain why they must lose so much to them either. We are so upset and fearful of our girls furture, a project instead of making progress (such as a mass transit metro that the rest of Sydney / the world gets) stays on track as a road tunnel (which will become a carpark) and just blowing in the wind will be toxic waste, damaged waterways and the inability to breathe clean air or hear their teacher in the classroom for the rest of their school life and so with tens of thousands of other kids just like them who live in another street.

I object to the beaches link tunnel for the following reasons;
1. There is no business case for the project. A potential saving on commuting time and alleviating traffic on Military Road does not constitute a business case for a multi-billion dollar project.
2. No alternative transport options are provided. Building more roads will only encourage more cars. This is proven.
3. Traffic congestion during and after construction will be unmanageable and a lot worse than it is currently in the area leading to the tunnel.
4. Encouraging more traffic to the Northern Beaches, especially at the weekend, is pointless. There is nowhere for extra cars to go. Manly, Clontarf, Freshwater, Dee Why etc. are all at maximum capacity at weekends already. Where are all the additional cars supposed to go?
5. There will be significant and potentially permanent destruction of public and coastal land.
6. Unacceptable impact on our schools, particularly Balgowlah Boys, the closest school to the construction site. The safety and practical movement of children, teachers and parents seems to have been completely ignored in the planning process.
7. Unacceptable pollution from unfiltered stacks close to schools and houses.
8. Complete lack of consideration to residents at both ends of the tunnel who need to endure years of construction, congestion and pollution, then endure never ending congestion and pollution after construction.
9. This project is a complete waste of taxpayers money. A tunnel is not the way to solve congestion. It encourages more cars. Construction creates devastating environmental and human damage. The only people that want this tunnel are those that drive to the CBD. We do not need or want this tunnel.
10. This project will no doubt be sold to a profit making company after construction.
11. The massive congestion in the streets of Balgowlah, North Balgowlah and Seaforth during and after construction represents a massive safety issue to the residents of the area, mainly to children travelling to and from the many schools in the area.

The project will not benefit the community nor reduce traffic enough to justify the billions in costs. The tunnel should be extended to Frenchs Forest to avoid the damage to the sensitive and well loved Manly Dam environment. The loss of Burnt Bridge Creek will be a great loss to the Nth Balgowlah community. The temporary loss of the oval used by Balgowlah Boys will be very detrimental to those boys health in important formative years. And then future boys will suffer the extra pollution from the nearby exhaust stacks. The additional width to the Wakehurst Parkway Rd will be ugly and will be fatal to wildlife. It has been proven time and time again that building more roads just encourages more traffic. Leave the beautiful northern beaches in peace please. All this loss and damage and cost for just 10-15% reduction in traffic? Ridiculous!

Burnt Bridge Creek Deviation - 'The Life Spring of Manly' (Manly Council)
I strongly object to the destruction of this unique natural area. It is not just for the sake of the nature itself but also for the physical and mental wellbeing of the residents living in the area. My son was recently in a wheelchair for 9 weeks during COVID-19. He loves the outdoors and missed bike riding. So each day I would take him on a long walk by the creek to see the ducks and get the vitamin D that was vital to his recovery. His Dr.'s attribute this routine with his recovery. There are so few places in the area in which one who is disabled can enjoy direct contact with nature that is usually only accessible for the able.
Each day this area is used by a range of ages. Kids safely ride bikes to school and families walk their dogs. Whilst our neighbor who is quite elderly does his daily walk with his walker on the pathway. I know families that come on the weekends just to see the ducks and the bats. Major charities use the pathway for charity walks. Each day more and more people discover this uniquely special place.

You speak about the new open green fields that will be after the project is complete, but I ask what will happen during the construction? And what about those people who do not thrive in open spaces? My other son has autism and anxiety. Both of these make open fields full of people feel like torture. He needs the quiet connection with pure nature. So the proposed fields will not be of benefit to him at all. Each night he asks me what will happen to the ducks and all the bats if the water is piped. What should I tell this 9 year old boy who helps out with scout nature clean ups. Where will we walk Kyra (our dog)? It breaks my heart.
During COVID-19 when the kids were homeschooled our only daily ritual outside the house was to ride from Dudley Road to Roseberry st cafe for a treat. This 30 minute break each day provided us with a well needed mental health respite. Without it, I am not sure how we would have faired.
Please do not destroy this area for a tunnel that is not needed.

This project is very destructive and worrisome for the environment. It will cause a lot of noise and pollution and a many trees and wast bushland will be cleared to make way for this road. I am also concerned about the children at Balgowlah Boys High School wo will be next to a building site or smoke stack for years to come. Sporting grounds are scarce and Balgowlah Oval will also be affected. As an avid cyclist I am concerned about increased traffic on major roads and the loss of fantastic mountain bike trails near Wakehurst Parkway.
I am disappointed that the government is not working towards an environmentally friendly solution. We need better public transport to and from the Northern Beaches and safe cycling lanes, not more cars.

We are objecting to this project as it currently stands based on a number of reasons outlined in the attached document.

Construction Impact
Concern - The construction phase of the project will undoubtedly impact North Balgowlah residents with dust, noise, vibration, and heavy vehicle traffic in the area. North Balgowlah will have construction surrounding most of the suburb and the EIS indicates that during construction there will be.
• Over 3,000 vehicles per day across all sites.
• 1,690 vehicles per day at the Balgowlah Golf Course site alone.

• 1.5 heavy vehicles every minute or 4.5 vehicles (total) every minute.
• Over 4,000 homes subjected to excessive noise
• Construction work to proceed 24/7 for up to 7 years.

Request – Reconsider how to ensure that the impact of trucks/vehicles is not felt on the suburban streets that are already hard to navigate with local traffic and buses. Ensure areas around schools and parks are not impacted and are safe for families and children to walk or ride around the local community. Disincentivise commuters looking to use our streets as a rat run to save time from congestion and money from using the toll roads.

Ventilation stacks

Request –We want assurances that future generations get to experience the natural wonders of the area in all its glory. That wildlife can live in the shadows of residential houses, not shadows of construction and pollution. What is the point of making the northern beaches more accessible if the very heart of what makes the northern beaches so special is destroyed?

Concern - Global health experts agree that pollution from traffic exhaust poses serious health risks. Emissions include nitrous oxides and particulate matter that, when breathed into the lungs, causes respiratory diseases such as asthma and emphysema, and cancer. There are several schools, preschools, childcare centres, and sporting fields within the vicinity of all the proposed ventilation stacks and from a parent's point of view, the increased level of pollution is unacceptable.

Request - If the tunnel were to go ahead that the stacks be equipped with full filtration to minimize these impacts. At the very least the air pollution is kept at the current levels.


Environmental Impact
Concern - We are fortunate to live in an area that incorporates some spectacular bush land, reserves, and beaches and would urge that further consideration is given to the major environmental impacts, including but not limited to:
• Movement of contaminated sediment to Clontarf and Middle Harbour (The Spit) potentially causing pollution of the neighbouring beaches.
• Destruction of Burnt Bridge Creek and surrounds (e.g., bushland, wildlife etc) due to a possible 96% reduction in water flow.
• Discharge of 428,000 L per day of wastewater into Queenscliff Lagoon & Beach, resulting in health hazards for people and animals who swim in the waterways.
• Pollution of Manly Dam reserve, resulting in the potential extinction of rare flora and fauna and the last remaining areas of Duffy’s Forest, and meaning that one of the only swimmable dams in NSW is no longer safe for public use.
• Loss of recreational activities with the mountain bike trails that are used for riding, walking and running.

I object on the basis that (in laypersons terms):
The unnecessary destruction of the natural waterway running from Seaforth to Queenscliff when alternative approaches appear to be available. I ask that the plans be modified to ensure this natural habitat supporting many flora and fauna species be protected by ensuring water flows are not reduced either during or after the project.
The project is at odds with the NSW govt strategy to significantly reduce vehicle traffic from the beaches by 2038, by encouraging increased vehicle usage.

The excessive impact to the local community over an extended period during construction.

This will be a very bad outcome for our environment our children and our community.
I work in the city but would rather have no link and permanent longer daily commute than destroying our environment. I am a keen runner in this area and also take our children on bush walks where the construction/tunnel would be .
I like many residents do not want this development

I object to this project for a number of reasons, the list is long. How the government can subject these communities, their green spaces, their schools and their environments to this project is beyond comprehension, for little to no sustainable net benefit to transport improvements for much longer than a few short years.

Here is just the tip of the iceberg....

1. I object to the ecological devastation, toxic sludge and destruction of the community areas of Flat Rock Gully, Middle Harbour, Manly Dam and Burnt Bridge Creek Deviation. I grew up on Middle Harbour, rowed on Middle Harbour as part of the school rowing team. I swam as a child at Northbridge baths and went fishing at the Spit. The environmental impact of this destruction is at best unknown, at worst catastrophic. The extent of the potential damage is horrific. Dredging around Northbridge will be highly toxic and potentially stop local kids sailing clubs, kayakers, fishing, swimming and general use of the harbour. Flat Rock Gully will have a large area that is destroyed (including 390 trees) with no plans for rehabilitation of the site. Additionally the extensive tree removal in Balgowlah- for example as shown in Annexure F in the EIS. I object to the long term environmental damage caused by widening the Wakehurst Parkway and potential risks to groundwater and flow on effects down to Manly Dam, and potentially irreparable damage to the bush corridor of Burnt Bridge Creek, threatening not only the immediate area in terms of local fauna and flora, but the greater area as well and the unknown damage to already nearly extinct wildlife which reside in the area.

2. I object further to the impact to Burnt Bay Creek, construction impacts will include removal of larbe mature trees and habitat, a nearby water retention dam, and discharge of almost half a million litres a day of wastewater that will run into Queenscliff lagoon. This is expected according to the EIS to reduce base flow from the creek of 79%. The EIS itself states "reductions to baseflows during operation could be considered significant, in particular for Burnt Bridge Creek"... "Outside of the pool areas, substantially reduced flows between rainfall events would be expected to alter assembalges of freshwater biota in these creeks to include only those species most tolerant to those low flows"

3. I object to the community noise and traffic impacts that Balgowlah, Seaforth, Artarmon, Naremburn and Cammeray will bear for nearly a decade. Safety Issues, hazardous levels of water and air poillution, noise, vibration, traffic, undue risk to home structures. Appendix G shows the vibration diagrams for Balgowlah Golf Course as being within the human response region. As well as the potential impact from cosmetic damage to the properties from vibration. This appendix shows potential impacts as far as Stockland Shopping Centre. Through the entire project the noise levels for properties are at best deemed to have construction noise being clearly audible through to moderately intrusive including at night and outside standard hours. Noise impacts from the Balgowlah roadworks are likely to affect over 4,000 homes and another 1,000 around the Middle Harbour area. This is many thousands of people over a substantial amount of time.

4. 1000's of heavy trucks will be added to roads like Brooke Street around Cammeray, more than 1 each minute according to your documentation. There are no time restrictions or limits on when the trucks will be in and out of these streets, these movements are not liimted to work hours. These trucks must be limited to work hours only, no weekend or night work allowed and outside of school hours.

6. I object to the human and environmental impact of the tunnel stacks once the project is completed (after these communities already suffer a decade of traffic, noise, construction pollution and congestion). There are stacks directly outside and within recommended safety limits of at a minimum 3 schools (Seaforth Public, Balgowlah Boys, Anzac Park). Further the representations within the EIS are false and misleading- for example, the stack at Balgowlah Boys is represented as a small 2 storey structure when it is in fact 6 or 7 stories high. To quote Gladys Berejiklian "Members of Parliament should examine their conscience and consider how they would feel if their children or loved ones were exposed to this level of fumes every day.... worlds best practice is to filter tunnels". This was a quote she made directly in parliament to discuss a 3.6km 2 lane (each way) tunnel that therefore didn't technically need filters.

7. I agree there is an unmet community need for the residents of the upper northern beaches and the Mosman/ Neutral Bay residents for reduced traffic- i.e reduced number of cars on the road. I agree there is a need for increased transport. However this project does not even begin to address these issues in a long term, sustainble manner. The manner in which this tunnel has been put together is flawed, and has been from the start though we will not get into the political reasons behind this tunnel for now. There is a huge information void with insufficient cost/benefit analysis demonstrated to the community and the misuse of public funds cannot be ruled out. This project DOES NOT: solve the militarty road traffic problem, remove cars from the road in favour of long term public transport, or provide ample travel savings to justify the cost, community impact and environmental damage that will be suffered for decades to come. Planning Minister Rob Stokes has said recently the government will prioritise cycling over cars, green space, sustainability, working from home- how does the Beaches Link fit into these aspirations and promises made to electorates?

I ask that this tunnel be reconsidered and in fact removed altogether and redrafted. Failing that:
1. The business case is released for public consideration
2. That a legitimate public transport solution is provided for community consultation instead of a road traffic tunnel
3. that the full extent of the impacts to communities are realised before this tunnel is signed off

Our harbour is sensational, but it makes the road system difficult. Thank you for doing this much needed crossing.
My concern is about Northbridge Sailing Club. Your picture on Page 58 shows work barges in place immediately east of the /green building of the sailing club.
Due to the steep and high terrain, the club runs courses north, south, east or west, depending on the wind direction. BUT, EVERY course runs through the construction zone. Yes, the courses can and will be moved, BUT, with extensive wind shadows from the hills, the courses will not be as good.
My concern is that the elite sailors from Northbridge will move to other sailing clubs with the possibility of never returning.
PLEASE, can Northbridge Sailing Club be given assistance to keep their elite sailors through and after this construction period?

I object to and oppose the approval and construction of the Northern Beaches Tunnel on the grounds detailed below and as it will be detrimental to my quality of life as a resident, student and soon HSC participant. As a student this will decrease my quality of life as it will eradicate peaceful moments to work and sleep. Sleep deprivation will certainly be detrimental to my schooling. I am sitting the HSC examinations in the next 2-3 years and this will greatly affect my ability to study and sleep. I predict this will have an incredibly negative effect on my Atar. My parents have worked incredibly hard to live in the area we do. It is deplorable that a project as large, incredibly useless and negatively impactful on local community is allowed to occur in such a beautiful area of the world. I implore that this project is cancelled and that the funds be spent on more useful endeavours.

I object to and oppose the approval and construction of the Northern Beaches Tunnel (NBT) on the grounds detailed in the submission below. The case for constructing the NBT is based on flawed economic modelling, flawed traffic modelling (using pre-Covid and pre work from home traffic data). If built the NBT will disrupt the amenity, endanger resident health and disrupt traffic in Balgowlah for 7 years during construction, and in perpetuity pollute the environment with runoff, dust and unfiltered tunnel emissions. The NBT should not be built I detail the reasons as follows:
I object to construction of NBT and Balgowlah Golf Course Access road and exhaust stack based on the negative impact on residents and local workers, specifically health risks, pollution, stress, and disruption:
To properties adjacent to Balgowlah Golf Course, it is expected that construction of NBT will cause about 7 years of disruption and negative health effects due to noise, dust and pollution starting in 2023. I object to the large and inevitable negative impact of construction traffic and construction employee parking, noise and dust pollution will have on my family at our home which borders on Balgowlah Golf Course. University students spend much of their time studying and working from their residence, particularly now that Covid has forced universities to deliver many lectures and tutorials via online media, this feature is unlikely to revert to pre-covid levels. There will be significant noise, particulate and dust pollution due to projected movements of one large truck per minute from Balgowlah using the local roads daily from 7am to 6pm weekdays and 8am to 1pm Saturday also causing additional local road congestion and traffic disruption. There will be significant noise, particulate and dust pollution due to projected movements of one large truck per minute from Balgowlah using the local roads daily from 7am to 6pm weekdays and 8am to 1pm Saturday also causing additional local road congestion and traffic disruption.
· underground Tunnelling is planned 24 hrs a day 7 days a week; a large number of properties will experience noise from tunnelling above 35dbA and some 45dbA when tunnelling occurs below them.
· The Balgowlah Golf Course area will be subject to excessive noise from drilling, rock crushing and earth removal.
· Uncontained Silica dust generation and exposure from release and ‘track through’ will endanger local residents and workers putting them at increased risk of respiratory illnesses such as asthma, silicosis and lung cancer.
· The residences surrounding the underwater section of the NBT will be subject to loud construction noises greater than 75db from impact piling of cofferdam walls over 12 months.
· Possible sediment disturbance generating unsafe levels of heavy metals, lead hydrocarbons etc in middle harbour including the Sandy Bay area and Clontarf beach.

NBT lacks an accurate and supportive business case, and has poor environmental and social cases:

· The NBT was presented as a done deal by government. There was no community consultation on the reason for constructing a new $12- 14 billion road tunnel in comparison to the cost and advantages of rail or other public transport enhancement alternatives.
· The NBT is justified as meeting the need for an additional transport route to alleviate traffic along Military road. This provides only a 10% traffic reduction and is based on incorrect traffic modelling assumptions using traffic data that pre-dates Covid and the likely permanent shift to Work From Home and the reduction on commuter traffic.
· There is no proper business case to justify the $12-$14 billion cost estimate.
· Instead of encouraging an increased use of public transport, the tunnel encourages “Induced traffic demand” which expert modellers calculate will neutralise the promised time savings within 3-4 years, leaving Northern Beaches commuters worse off at the end of that time.
Aside from Induced demand from existing commuters, if the tunnel is built, it has
potential to induce demand for an additional 40,000 cars to travel to the local beaches during summer causing loss of street parking.
· In order to support the weak business case for the NBT expensive tolls $7-8 each way are proposed, this will be a significant new impost on residents of $70-$80 per week ($4,000 annually).
· Tunnel avoidance due to these expensive tolls will lead to worse traffic along Military road.
· Some of the hypothetical time saved on travel to the city during peak times will be lost due to local traffic congestion and bottlenecks.

I also object to construction of NBT based on negative impact on the Environment, specifically:
· The provision of unsightly, unfiltered exhaust stacks 8 – 10 stories high exhausting polluted air containing fine particulates collected from a 7km tunnel length near schools (Balgowlah Boy’s High and several Primary Schools) and in the middle of proposed public playing fields.
· Unnecessary loss of green space such as the Balgowlah golf course (which is also used by the community for walking / dog-walking) and due to widening of Wakehurst Parkway.
· The loss of approx. 400 mature trees and potential impact of a further 150 mature trees.
· Reduction in property values of homes, including my home.
· Loss of nearly 2,000 mature trees due to widening of Wakehurst parkway.
· Detrimental effect of runoff from the widening of Wakehurst parkway into Manly Dam.
· Risk to and loss of endangered Flora and fauna.
I object to construction of NBT but if it is given planning approval the following mitigation measures must be stipulated and enforced in contracts with Construction company and Operator:
I strongly object to the building of the Northern Beaches Tunnel and proposed related access road and unfiltered smokestack at Balgowlah Golf Course, however Northern Beaches Tunnel (“NBT”) is given planning approval despite the widespread opposition from affected local residents,
I require the following measures to be put in place to minimise negative impacts on health, amenity and property values:
Surface work and construction vehicle movements must not occur outside the times of 7am to 6pm weekdays and 8am to 1pm Saturday and must not occur on Sundays and Public Holidays.
Respite periods – especially during noisy works phases. These respite periods must be communicated in advance to the Residents to allow for planning of business calls / zoom meetings / child sleep periods etc.
• All construction traffic must be fitted with noise and pollution control devices (including ‘croakers’ or ‘quackers’ to reduce the impact of tonal reversing alarms).
• No construction vehicles must be permitted to wait or idle in Brighton St, Wanganella St, or other local roads.
• All staff, workers, contractors and sub-contractors (“Employees”) must park only in designated parking hubs (away from residential areas) with a regular shuttle service to the Balgowlah construction envelope.
• Employees must, as part of their engagement contract, be prohibited from parking outside of designated parking hubs and be required to comply with local road and traffic rules, with a suitably deterrent penalty system put in place for any breaches reported by members of the public.
• A site-specific construction 24/7 hotline and website (“Balgowlah NBT Website”) must be established for the receipt of complaints and breach reports from members of the public (“Complainant”). As part of this process there also needs to be a formal complaint handling mechanism in place requiring:
1. responses to be provided to Complainants within 5 business days of receipt of a complaint / breach report, detailing what investigative, remedial or penalty action has been taken, or is to be taken (and when);
2. penalties to be applied if the response time limit in 1) above is not met; and
• The emission stacks must be filtered. This is non-negotiable. This is regarded as ‘best practice’ for tunnels of similar length in Europe.
• Better health protection measures must be implemented for the control of silica dust created from the tunnelling through sandstone. The current measures proposed are inadequate. ‘Track through’ dust pollution from site vehicles will not be adequately controlled by proposed measures.
• Air Quality Monitors need to be installed and operated 24/7 at the end of Brighton Street, near Balgowlah Boys campus and Seaforth Public School, with real time readings to be publicly available on the internet and a system for text alert notifications to be automatically sent to Residents if pollutant safety levels are exceeded.
• Clear suitably deterrent penalties must apply to the NBT Construction Entity and NBT Operator for every occasion when pollution level limits are exceeded.
• All penalties relating to the NBT project that are imposed as a result of pollution, complaint time limits, parking, or other road or traffic infringements must be published on the Balgowlah NBT Website.

Although I am for a tunnel or an alternative way for traffic to be alleviated from the Northern Beaches out to the city etc, I object to the planning of the tunnel and its lack of consultation with residents over environmental impact etc.
The stacks MUST be filtered!! There is no way we will accept stacks dropping sediment on us and our children, in an area with so much bush land, walking tracks, playing fields and 2 x major schools Balgowlah North and Seaforth! My concern is also for local flora and fauna that will be affected- may dam, running creeks, Clontarf runoff? Show us that this won’t have major effects!!!

I support the project as it will bring long-term benefits the community, not only the Northern Beaches but also the Willoughby / Northbridge area through reduced traffic. As a long term resident I am also a regular sailor at Northbridge Sailing Club and a former cub leader in the Northbridge Sea Scouts, both of whom conduct boating activity on the waters where the dredging and tunnelling will take place.

I have seen the project descriptions and realise the extensive work that has gone into the environmental and construction assessments and planning of what is a major engineering project. Nonetheless I wish to share my concerns for your consideration:
1 - The relocation of moorings into areas that will impact upon recreation and dinghy sailing in particular. Over my 20+ years sailing on Middle Harbour the encroachment of moorings into the bays of Middle Harbour has slowly eroded the useable water (we are not allowed to race amongst the moorings) and disturbed the wind. My concerns are
(a) that mooring relocation will, in conjunction with other maritime restrictions, severely affect the ability of the Club to run sailing races in most wind conditions, and
(b) that such relocation will become permanent moorings, not returning the amenity to Middle Harbour at the end of construction.
2 - The restricted maritime access, by implication prohibiting navigation, during the construction of the tunnel between Seaforth and Northbridge will prevent sailing into the most useable stretch of water and/or leave anchored in the sailing area navigation hazards and wind breaks, so if sailing is possible it will be unpleasant.
3 - While I can see that work will attempt to minimise dredging pollution, this may not allay fears of parents of young children who enjoy our learn to sail programs but frequently capsize.

The concerns I have therefore are around the impact on the viability of the Northbridge Sailing Club, indirectly through the loss of membership that provides the only source of revenue for the Club, which is run by volunteers, most of whom are regular weekend sailors, myself included. Of course NSC does more than provide recreation for adults, the whole Learn to Sail program brings in young children, teaches them the skills and responsibilities of small boat handling, and encourages them in their teenage years to become the trainers of the next generation. This builds responsibility and strong community links for those involved. An older sailor, like myself, will, if the sailing is below par trail my dinghy elsewhere, probably Pittwater, reducing social contact with local sailors in the other classes who may choose another location. I will not be able to mentor and choose as crew junior sailors from the local community or assist with maintenance and rescue boat duty if I am elsewhere.

The next 4 to 6 years will, I suspect, be critical for NSC; I am not on the committee, have no insights as to their work and this is a personal observation. The level of maintenance is increasing and with rising tides - the conspiracy theorists may blame the sinking of the tunnel in Middle Harbour, but we all know it's climate change - the Club finds it underpinnings and deck ever so less above the sea level during king tides. This time period, when it most needs to raise funds and look to 'future-proofing' its facilities, will be the perfect storm of losing its membership due to construction work in the main sailing area.

Please consult with the Club Committee to help minimise the impact on its operations and ability to continue operating during construction, or if that is unavoidable to help it manage a shutdown in order to recovery quickly once safe navigation is restored.

There has been an insufficient assessment of the impact on the health of local children by this proposal is a gap . I can’t understand why experts chose to exclude Balgowlah Boys and 2 pre-schools from specific noise and air pollution assessment despite all three being in immediate proximity.