Beaches Link and Gore Hill Freeway Connection

I object to the Northern Beaches Tunnel for a number of reasons:
Environmental: Dried up local creeks, ecological destruction and disturbance of toxic sludge.
Health: My two sons will be attending Balgowlah Boys during the years of construction, breathing in toxic fumes every day. The air quality impacts from the exhaust stacks.
Impact on Balgowlah Boys High School: The noise and vibrations whilst students are trying to learn and sit through exams.
The traffic around the school during the many years of construction will be dangerous and stressful for all people navigating this area.
Lack of transparency: The readability of the EIS.12,000 pages of complex information is not a means of public consultation or transparency.

I am extremely concerned about the health risks posed by the traffic pollution that will come from the proposed unfiltered exhaust stack (to be located where Balglowlah Golf Course now resides). Public health should be a priority over dollars spent (and built into the business case) especially with so many local schools and young families so close by. There is inconsistency in the data used in the air quality modelling that needs to be investigated, houses next to each other situated in a valley have either no or top level emissions impact marked against them. The chart does not make sense and a more accurate investigation of pollution impact needs to be carried out. 2. The impact of the tunnel construction will be significant for 5-7 years with increased traffic flow including trucks through the local streets surrounding the construction site that are using alternative routes. This will put people and especially children in additional danger as they park and cross already busy roads close to the schools. The construction noise will continue 24 hrs 7 days a week for 5-7 years and studies have modelled the impact of the noise reaching as far as stocklands Balgowlah. This is hugely detrimental to the quality of life for a huge portion of the local population and is unacceptable. 3. The impact on the environment is devastating at a time when we need to protect it most, we will lose approx 2500 trees, lose the local golf course, threatened species such as the eastern pygmy possum and grey headed flying foxes that live in the impacted bushland will be displaced or impacted by the pollution during construction. We will lose large areas of bushland across burnt creek deviation, wakehurst parkway as well as impact to manly dam. Disturbance of toxic sludge whilst digging the tunnel and pumped out to waterways and is likely to impact wildlife more broadly across the beaches including Manly /Queenscliff lagoon and Clontarf. Swimming there could be dangerous for years to come. There are other cleaner, greener transport options available (more public transport, buses, covered cycle lane for bikes and electric bikes even). This project will also create over 700k tonnes CO2e during the construction phase and 40k t CO2e from additional vehicles using the tunnel each year once it is in use. NSW 2030 emissions reductions target already fall way short of what is required to keep global warming below 1.5 degrees. This is devastating for our future and our children's. 4. Business Case - $12 billion dollars would be far better invested in public transport, supporting the environment through carbon reduction/renewable energy, schools or healthcare. This tunnel "may" save people a few minutes (5 or 10) on their journey but most likely the traffic will back up as they get close to the city and traffic will continue to worsen as the population rises. Or people may continue to work remotely and the traffic stats for the tunnel may not justify it being built if modelled correctly. Already many buses have been cancelled through Balgowlah Heights and surrounding areas and the remaining ones are crowded. Why reduce public transport when we need more of it? Hopefully this is not being used to increase the traffic stats to justify the tunnel. Overall this $12 Billion investment for a minimal upside in travel time, leaving catastrophic impact to the environment and health of surrounding locals /schools is insanity.

To whom it may concern, I am writing to highlight my objection to the EIS submitted for consideration to the Department of Planning, Industry and Infrastructure.
I wish to highlight the following objections:  Before we spend upwards of $10 billion of taxpayers’ money and potentially decimate our valued native landscape, fauna and flora we need to consider the following;
EIS process: There has been limited time for submission, during a period of lockdown on the Northern Beaches. Consultation on a project of this size and significance must be done in good faith. It must be thorough and not rushed. Given the lack of real engagement with the community we will be left with a suboptimal solution. Northern Beaches Council itself has not had time to consult on its submission out to affected communities.
Environment: I have great concerns about the impact during construction and during operation on our sensitive ecological areas of Manly Dam, Bantry Bay and the Garigal National Park, and the impact on local waterways, such as Burnt Bridge Creek and Middle Harbour. We all love swimming and recreational activities at Clontarf, Manly Dam and all of the 3 Manly beaches- I can envisage many more none swimming days on the horizon as Burnt Bridge Creek becomes a trickle and instead becomes what seems to be a wastewater outlet for the tunnel- During construction, 425,000 litres of waste water will be washed into Manly Lagoon every day!  Northern Beaches Council itself has raised similar concerns and issues. The potential flow on effect of where waste from afire or accident would end up is frightening. These native bushlands, mature trees and ecosystems need to be held in trust for our children. Felling 150 year old trees is irreplaceable in our children’s lifetime- the equivalent of 39 football fields of bushland would be cleared as well as2,000 trees.
Air quality: I am alarmed at the location of the placement of exhaust stacks and their lack of filtration.  Unfiltered exhaust stacks which would emit double the maximumlimit of particulates recommended by the World Health Authority. This would cover a 1.2km radius per stack.
Flawed business case: The pandemic has changed the way we live, work and think, traffic projections are based on 2016 traffic. This significant infrastructure project needs to be future proof and prioritise public transport solutions.
Local traffic problems The EIS omits an impact assessment on local roads suggesting this falls under the jurisdiction of the Northern Beaches Council (NB Council). It is not clear whether there has been any engagement with the NB Council as to how the traffic issues will be solved . To date the NB Council has failed to find solutions to current local traffic issues. With bottle necks at Kenneth Street, Roseberry Street, intersections of Wanganella Street and Sydney Roads, Wanganella Street and White Street, and Condamine Street around the Warringah Mall.   

Further to submission SE-15303860
There needs to added that shared paths and mtb trails are two separate assets and can’t be blended to meet the mtb community needs. However more so for safety issues with commuters, mtbers, occasional riders and other walkers, runner etc.

Cross points under and over the road will need to be careful planned to give safe outcomes and smooth usage.



We had spoken at length in the meeting with the Comms team.

Objection attached.

Dear Sir/Madam
I have attached my main concerns related to the sustainability side of this tunnel, which after reading the EIS, ideals and actions on the principals seems to be very vague and up in the air, with no concrete value to it.

This ties up with my second objection and concerns related to the environmental and social impact this tunnel will cause to my community and the two extremely important and sensitive areas which are the Garigal national Park and Manly Dam Memorial Park and Mermaid Pools.
There are infinite reasons and past real life events which proves the adverse effects of such constructions on and around sensitive areas.
We cannot continue to grow our economy and develop out communities based on ancient methodologies and mindset. Just as we have look at the world as a global economy and whatever happens in one country affects all others, so does the detriment of our resources and environment.
It is ludicrous to think of this project as a one isolated project and only look at the socio-economic and environmental factors of such separately. The impacts of this should be added and observed with ALL other projects happening in Sydney as a whole, as in the end, the are being constructed for a final goal.
It is an absurd to treat this peninsula as any other areas around Sydney with way more space for proper infrastructure opportunities, it is crazy to try and slowly clear off the green space that makes this place what it is, a gem in Sydney.
Not to mention the design of this tunnel is way too excessive, way too expensive and it won't sort out the actual problems we have in the peninsula, past the tunnel entrances.
It is unacceptable that 8 storey high chimneys are planned to be built, discharging tunnel fumes with low standards of air filtering and on top of that, making these the highest landmarks around the peninsula.
It is unacceptable to cover up water streams that serves as main source of life for our fauna and flora as well as a a peaceful sound for our community.
We definitely don't need to make our community a concrete jungle.
Thanks in advance

Please refer to the attachment.

Good afternoon,
We live on maretimo street and have two boys who attend the Balgowlah Boys campus school; class of 2025 and class of 2027. One of our boys has dyslexia and ADHD which already makes school studies a little more effort than that of his peers. This school has made tremendous strides in improvement and reputation. These efforts should not be undermined by adverse conditions.

After reading the EIS we have concerns about the project which we hope will be considered.

Noise. - It is our interpretation from your papers that the construction associated with the tunnel and ventilation stacks will create a continuous intermittent noise at pretty much the level of a gas powered lawnmower operated with hearing protection. This noise level would never be acceptable for a regular worker in a daily workday. And school children obviously cannot wear hearing protection during classroom instruction. What mitigation for the school day noise levels does this project have to offer?
The concrete batching facility is to be located across the Sydney road from the school, which is incidentally down the street from our home. What mitigation will be provided to school students at a minimum during the midday lunch and recess periods, and to homeowners who either wish to have outdoor dinner time, or otherwise breathe outside air, dry laundry etc. when the air is contaminated with the dust and other inflammatory allergen particles associated with concrete and filler mixing materials?
We also are concerned with the traffic. The EIS states that 1,195 light truck movements, and 495 heavy truck movements per day will occur at the corner of Sydney Road, Maretimo Street, and the link road. We have been living at the far end of maretimo street for 2 years now. Without the construction started, it is a good 5 minute wait to exit maretimo road onto Sydney road, and that is assuming you are outside school hours. The intersection of maretimo street and Sydney road is at, or above, capacity already without the additional 1690 daily vehicles. This is not acceptable planning and not a sustainable venture for the stated 5 years that residents are being “asked” to endure.
In addition to the stress on family quality of life and safety that this addition of 1690 vehicles to daily traffic, there also are the human health impact of air quality degraded by the fumes emitted by these heavy construction vehicles.

Comment collection has largely been posted for comment during the summer vacation when families are most stretched either with travel or with summer camp activities on top of work schedules. The comment period to this EIS should be extended and a information campaign conducted to inform the local residents (at a minimum to all residents and businesses located on Maretimo street).

A working group for the school and Maretimo street and surrounding streets would be advisable.
Live websites or regular public information meetings should be held to inform the public of any contractor design changes and should not be implemented without at least a 1 month public comment Collection
A board should be established for local citizens and businesses for the reporting and collection of statistics regarding health impacts (asthma like, allergic, dust and air quality, mental health from stress, traffic or noise level aggravation, and safety to pedestrians or from increased traffic incidents). The statistics should be maintained on a live count on a public website for the entire public to see.

I apologise that these comments are not better articulated. My husband and I both are very pressed for time. We felt it best to submit the broad strokes of our concerns rather than to miss the comment opportunity deadline. We hope you will consider the impacts to the local environment and community and al the comments which we, the school, and our residential community have provided.
Kind regards

Jennifer & Paul

I OBJECT TO THIS PROJECT due to the devastating environmental and social impacts of the application on the whole of the North Sydney Local Government Area.

LOSS OF PUBLIC OPEN (GREEN) SPACE
There is an existing lack of adequate public open space in the North Sydney local government area. The proposal will have a devastating impact on existing public open space (particularly green space) in North Sydney. There will be a permanent loss of 28,896m2 of land in Cammeray Park and the removal of Council’s stormwater harvesting facility.

There is absolutely no need for the proposed WHT/Beaches Link/Gore Hill Freeway Connection Motorway Facilities Buildings to be located on the surface. The proposed location of these facilities will have significant adverse visual impacts and will result in the permanent loss of precious, highly valued public green space.

The proposal will have devastating impacts on public open space, particularly vital urban bushland, in Flat Rock Creek, Middle Harbour, Seaforth and Balgowlah.

The significant permanent loss of public open (green) space in the North Sydney local government area and throughout the tunnel corridor warrants refusal of this application.

AIR QUALITY
The location of unfiltered ventilation stacks close to pre-schools, primary and secondary schools and hospitals cannot be supported and are grounds for refusal.

TRAFFIC IMPACTS
The project fails to provide a sustainable response to metropolitan congestion. We ought to be investing money in public transport to get more cars off the roads.

The proposal as shown in the EIS (i.e. four traffic lanes - Berry Street) will directly and indirectly impact upon numerous adopted and draft State and Local Government strategic projects and initiatives. The proposal will cut a swathe through the North Sydney CBD public domain initiatives without delivering any real benefits to ameliorate or ease traffic congestion within the region.

The project will result in significant adverse impacts including, but not limited to, significant net additional traffic on Berry Street, Miller Street, Falcon Street and Pacific Highway (south of Falcon Street) as well as significant reductions in levels of service.

The occupation of construction site BL1 (the Cammeray Golf Course construction site) will be extended by 2 years to 7 years in total as a direct result of the BL&GHF projects. This will cause significant flow-on impacts on other arterial and local roads in the North Sydney local government area.


ENVIRONMENTAL IMPACTS
The proposed submerged tunnel construction method across Middle Harbour requires significant dredging and sediment disturbance of the harbour floor

The environmental impacts associated with dredging and cofferdam construction in the harbour are significant, unnecessary and will result in adverse and permanent impacts on water quality, marine biodiversity, foraging habitat as well as known roosting sites of threatened species.

As the project facilitates private vehicle travel and will result in induced demand, there will be consequential environmental impacts from increased traffic movements along the tunnel corridor.

In short, the proposal will have devastating adverse impacts on the environment including, but not limited to:
• disturbance to the Sydney Harbour floor impacting on maritime ecology and heritage;
• water quality in Middle Harbour and throughout the entire catchment along the tunnel corridor, marine biodiversity, foraging habitat as well as known roosting sites of threatened species;
• loss of Council’s stormwater harvesting and filtration facility in Cammeray Park

HERITAGE
The proposal should be refused as a result of the unacceptable and significant impacts upon, numerous Heritage items of State and Local Significance including items of maritime and convict heritage. Further, the proposal will have a devastating impact on a number of items of Aboriginal heritage and numerous other remnant evidence of first inhabitants.

The EIS acknowledges these impacts on Aboriginal heritage and heritage items and proposes inadequate management strategies that cannot be relied upon to protect and preserve heritage along the tunnel corridor.

VISUAL BULK AND SCALE
The proposal will result in unacceptable adverse impacts on visual amenity including the provision of large, ugly acoustic screens along the route and the impacts of the buildings to house the on-going operations of the tunnels.

PUBLIC DOMAIN IMPACTS
The proposal will have significant adverse impacts on the public domain in the North Sydney CBD and the local government area generally.

In conclusion, this application will not deliver any amelioration to traffic congestion and will have devastating environmental, health and social impacts.

I object to the tunnel for environmental issues, and it will make traffic congestion worse in this immediate area

I object to the proposed project in the current form. I feel that numerous issues have not been adequately addressed. These include:

Environmental damage - The EIS shows a very significant impact to the surrounding environment, with little in the way of mitigating efforts. The proposed significant decrease in water flow of local waterways such as Burnt Bridge Creek will decimate already fragile, very valuable ecosystems, and is just one example. Another very concerning example is the loss of significant vegetation around surface works sites. The proposal needs to be modified as a result.

Air quality - Whilst modelling has occurred that demonstrates a decrease in surrounding air quality associated with tunnel ventilation, very little has been proposed to mitigate the creation and dispersion of airborne particulates and gases from the tunnel. No consideration has been given to implementing schemes that would reduce the amount of airborne pollution created by the tunnel. One example of such a scheme would be emissions based tolling for the tunnel, whereby high emitting vehicles would be charged more to use the tunnel, thereby discouraging them from entering. Revenue from such a scheme could then be used to fund filtration for the tunnel. It is imperative that such schemes be explored, and air quality issues be more adequately addressed, prior to the proposal proceeding.

Construction issues - No assurance has been given to surrounding neighbourhoods as to sufficient mitigation of the impact of construction. There is no detail showing adequate transport or parking facilities for the very large number of workers required to be onsite. There is also insufficient detail of proposed equipment transport and spoil removal routes for the project. Insufficient detail has been given as to how construction will interface with public transport options and existing or proposed road options. Modelling does not indicate traffic delay variations adequately.

Please find attached a submission from Mosman Council on the Beaches Link and Gore Hill Freeway Connection EIS exhibition.

. Period of time too short to consider 7 volumes of information for many community groups

object to the project on the following grounds:

a) I believe that the modelling used to justify the project is out of date / flawed. Traffic conditions are changing as a result of COVID 19 pandemic and the increased uptake of 'Working from Home' arrangements means that the need for this extremely expensive project must be re-assessed.



b) Even if the project were to go ahead, I still OBJECT on the grounds that

i) the projected travel time savings do not take into account the increased traffic leading into the portals and the resulting bottle necks and rat-runs that will DECREASE the benefit for local residents

ii) the prolonged period of time while construction traffic, noise and pollution will adversely affect residents living close to the works

iii) the widening of the Wakehurst Parkway will adversely affect the native flora and fauna through the destruction of habitat. This is not offset by a few passageways and fauna bridges

iv) the increased run-off from the wider road will adversely affect the quality of the water in Manly Dam

v) the pollution venting towers will be a visual eye-sore, and possibly redundant if the uptake of electric vehicles is widespread going into the future

vi) increased traffic (both during construction and possibly once in operation) will reduce property prices in the affected areas.

vii) Burnt Bridge Creek, which is valuable both as a natural resource for residents and a corridor for endangered wildlife, will be severely degraded.



3. The money could be better spent improving the public transport in the area. Everybody appreciates the B1 service, but the reduction in alternative routes has not be








en welcomed. More busses, serving more areas, directly to the centres (Warringah Mall, Chatswood, North Sydney, City) would be a far better target for rate payer taxes.

The beaches link tunnel is an unnecessary project that will create chaos for little gain. It would be much preferred for the money and time invested to be put towards public transport. The tunnel construction will damage green areas such as Flat Rock Gully which is home to many local flora and fauna and much loved by the community. Not to mention the increase in vehicles on the road creating more hazards for an area heavily populated with families with school aged children.

Please see uploaded file

I wish to object to the building of the Beaches Link tunnel for a number of reasons but mostly due to serious concern about the total devastation of our local environment where the tunnel portals are being planned around Seaforth and Balgowlah and the inadequate mitigation. We live in the middle of the two proposed portals and live here because we love the bush and the nature that surrounds us. From my research in your papers there are many concerns not addressed for mitigation or remediation and these need to be considered before such a massive expense both financially and environmentally occurs.
There will be nearly 2,000 trees cut down for the Wakehurst Parkway portal and the offsets will not be in our area - this is not good enough to say there is not enough area around here for the offsets. There has to be and this must be local. Why not start planting now - if not why not?
The Burnt Bridge Creek watertable will be drawn down so deep in order to accomodate the Balgowlah portal that there can be no recovery and will remove the water source for the 10,000 plus endangered flying fox colony in Balgowlah Road. This issue is not addressed in the EIS and needs to be considered.
By destroying the natural water flow of Burnt Bridge creek will inevitably result in flooding issues further down into Manly Vale and Manly. This is not addressed and is a dangerous issue for homeowners along Manly Lagoon.
By turning Burnt Bridge Creek into a drain we permanently lose the lovely amenity of the creek and trees along a shared path.
Equally the concerns about the destruction to Manly Dam and Garigal NP in the building of a freeway on top of the ridgeline that connects the two parks. The endangered pygmy possum and lizards will not survive this. An underground tunnel is not adequate and a greened landbridge would be a minimum mitigation.
It is unclear how you will protect the Manly Dam from permanent ecological and heritage damage. This needs much more protection than the scant mitigation efforts included in the EIS.
There are serious concerns for the unfiltered exhaust stacks especially at Balgowlah. There are childcare centres and two school within a short, unsafe distance from these. How will the children be protected from the toxic particulants that you advise are in an unacceptable range. The stacks MUST be filtered. The M5 already demonstrates the shocking result of bad exhaust stack design.
The construction stage itself is hugely problematic and will cause years of noise and chaos with hundreds of massive trucks carting out fill as well as the problem of the toxic sludge that will be dredged up in Middle Harbour. This will cause currently dormant toxic sludge to be drawn up from the bottom of the harbour. It cannot be contained by the buffers that will go in. It will present a health risk to swimmers at Northbridge, Clontarf and Chinaman's Beach - all very busy, popular swimming and fishing places.
I acknowledge the traffic jams on Spit Road but I cannot reconcile the destruction that will occur to fix this problem. The cost benefit analysis does not seem to be worth it. 14 billion is a lot to risk but the cost of the loss of our local bush, trees, waterways is priceless and can never be replaced despite your offset proposals.
Your own traffic data seems to suggest that in a few years after opening the traffic volumes will be back to where they are now. Where is the long term benefit? There has to be a better solution that involves Mass Transit options - namely the idea of extending the Sydney Metro line from Chatswood to Dee Why as one way to improve NB connectivity to Sydney without this
There is no going back once this starts and it goes over budget and destroys the beautiful natural environment that we are currently blessed with. According to the Premier's Priorities you are meant to be greening our city and making greener spaces. There is no mention of building roads and encouraging more private cars onto toll roads. This project does not make sense in the 21st century when our environment should be at the forefront of everything we do.

As a resident of Northbridge with 3 young children I am deeply concerned about the massive health and well being of our community and ecosystem. Northbridge is a small suburb with a rare offering of a small parcel of green space so close to the City for the community to enjoy. Government should be attempting to maintain what little green space we have left before development and governments turn our city into concrete slums with nowhere for all the additional residents the government had approved through residential planning to go. You can’t keep taking away green space for development be more forward thinking. Dig your tunnel under an existing main road . Try a tunnel under military road for instants as it’s been proposed for years as is already a busy road and plenty of areas for a dive tunnel for your TBM. I’m also concerned about the constant noise and vibration on my families well being and although I know you will meet the requirements for noise. I suggest the constant and continual hum and vibration over an extend period of time would be akin to water torture treatment and not something I want my family to endure. This tunnel is definitely not and urgent requirement considering the government push towards public transport and car pooling and at $14billion odd dollars I don’t think this is money well spent. This proposal need to be rethought and potentially created through an existing main road corridor rather than through a beautiful and rare natural environment so close to both the city and North Sydney .

Prior to contemplating the significant environmental impacts, there is no clear business case for this project and simply as such it should not proceed in its current state. And certainly a lack of consideration for public transport alternatives which should be presented side-by-side for the greatest benefit to the community.
The commute time saving on Military Rd is so small and will be quickly consumed by growth, leaving no net benefit, only a huge cost.
For those around Naremburn/Cammeray most impacted by the construction, there is not even the benefit of using this new road, it simply dislocates the community after forcing it to suffer the impacts of noise and traffic in construction and pollution thereafter. Important existing exits and access routes are removed, adding time to commutes and traffic, so net loss. And this is before the $14 billion cost (which will no doubt inflate)

From my reading of the EIS, if this project does unfortunately go ahead there are significant factors that need to be addressed
My family regularly goes for bushwalks from Willoughby Leisure Centre to Tunks Park. We already have limited green space and this area has been lovingly restored. I worry about how it will be destroyed by this project and lost to the community. The risk of contaminants seems a clear health risk.

My children attend local primary school at Cammeray Public which requires us to cross Brook St at Merrenburn Ave. There is already substantial traffic to get there in the morning, this will make it far worse and add the associated risk of 100s of heavy vehicles along the route causes heightened risk of accident

The risk from increased pollutants in the area is evident. This needs to be addressed through filtered tunnel stacks - a small price against the massive cost of destroying the environment

I object to this project because I, and the entire population of NSW have not been informed as to how it will be funded, so the only people who need not be concerned about this are shareholders and employees of the Construction companies and private motorway operators. The rest of the state may or may not be thrown under a bus so to speak, and when they find out it will be too late to do anything about it.
At 14Billion and counting a toll wont cut it to fund the Beaches link and it could be non users will have to cough up. Here are some possibilities.
Raising the toll on the harbour bridge and SHT
Making cuts to public transport (buses and ferries) or raising fares
Tolling the free roads to pick up folk not using the tunnel.
Applying a congestion tax.
Getting NSW tax payers to chip in or by delaying expenditure such as pay rises for nurses, firefighters, paramedics etc, or cutting job numbers
Making cuts to education.
Also there are ways to increase toll revenue
Closing freeway exits used by motorists avoiding the tunnel
Creating traffic jams along alternatives to the tunnel (removal of clearways etc)
Approving more High rise development near the Beaches Hospital

Dear NSW Government / Department of Transport and Planning,
I write to make a formal submission to express my objection for the Beaches Link tunnel. I am a resident of Balgowlah and from the knowledge I have acquired, I cannot support such as large infrastructure to be built in such a small, inlet suburb at Balgowlah/Seaforth . I reject the plan in its current form for the following reasons:
- Unfiltered ventilation of large high rise stacks in low density housing areas - too close to local schools St Cecilis, Seaforth Public, and Balgowlah Boys.
- No direct link consideraton to public transport. Where is consideration for public transport in this solution? I do not support increasing green house gases and believe this solution is not forward thinking in its planning.
- Where is the updated analysis on future traffic in the northern beaches?
- The effects to our local fauna and natural ecosystem around Burnt Bridge Creek.
- The effects to our local infrastructure. We are congested as it is - this will only increase.
- The effect to traffic up the northern beaches corridor - Brookvale, Dee Why, up to Avalon is already at choking point. This will only increase. This has not been considered.
I support transport solutions, but request there to be more input into developing a better plan that resolves the Spit / Mosman issue but is more future proof. You can do better surely?

Kind regards,
John A Campbell