Horsley Drive Business Hub

Western Sydney Parklands Trust permitted a site inspection last week and I took the opportunity to assess the impact of the proposed development on flora and fauna.

The site is dominated by introduced species of grasses, herbs, climbers, shrubs and trees. There are some native Eucalyptus trees situated near boundaries of the site.

It was not clear to me whether small birds such as Wrens and Finches inhabit the clumps of African Olive and Privet.

The site has two rural dams which would be frequented by water birds - a water hen and duck were present on the day. I would expect that the rural dams provide habitat for eels and tortoises as well as invertebrates.

I understand the development plan proposes draining and filling the two rural dams with construction of a storm water retention basin in the north-east corner of the site.

The Urban Bushland Biodiversity Strategy (1996) identifies rural dams as affording habitat, foraging and water supply to native fauna species and, on this basis Blacktown & District Environment Group Inc recommends retention of the rural dams on the site.

Given the size of the site and because the rural dams sit in the area of a drainage line we believe scope exists for retention.

Should, for reasons unknown to us, Western Sydney Parklands Trust says it will not retain the rural dams we assert that humane considerations should immediately enter the mind of those dealing with this matter, both in Planning NSW and Western Sydney Parklands.

It would be a matter of diminished humanity for the NSW Government to approve the draining of the dams and leaving eels and tortoises to the blades of bulldozers. Far better for decency, animal welfare and ecology would be for the proposed storm water retention basin to be constructed first, the water from the rural dams be pumped down to the storm water retention basin and an ecologist be present to humanely translocate eels, tortoises and other water fauna to the storm water retention basin.

Such a measure was employed, as required by Blacktown City Council, by CSR when developing the former PGH Brickworks site at Doonside some years ago and it is a measure asked of the Wet & Wild for its proposed Theme Park at Prospect. Notwithstanding whether Wet & Wild proceed in that manner it certainly can be done at Horsley Park because it was done at Doonside.

Whatever Planning NSW decides with respect to the foregoing we ask to be informed.

With respect to the Eucalyptus trees near boundaries of the site we ask that consideration be given to their retention since many of them are situated where it is unlikely buildings will be constructed. Further, retention of mature trees is a far more ecologically sustainable outcome than landscape planting of juvenile trees.

Blacktown & District Environment Group Inc does not seek measures that would be deemed unreasonable. Indeed, part of what we seek is basic humane treatment of animals.

We hope Planning NSW and Western Sydney Parklands Trust will embrace these recommendations.

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I have been living here for nearly 5 years and we were advised back then that one day this area would become parklands however it was a low key project. I now have a 2 yr old and my second baby is due in a few weeks. We were advised only 3 weeks ago that this project was happening and that we would need to move out by early 2013. My concern now is that we will not be able to find something quickly whilst I'm on maternity leave as our finances have dropped. We have been very stressed since we have known as we cannot come across anything that is livable and that we can afford. We are a young family and our aim was to see if we could move by 2014 as we knew we could not be here forever but all this plan has now worked against us. could we have more time to work all this out? Very stressed and concerned

Submission Attached

Further to the submission lodged by our group on the subject matter with particular regard to the treatment of fauna on site I provide herewith a recent decision of the Commonwealth Government under the EPBC Act whereby humane regard for fauna on the site is a stipulation of approval.

We trust the NSW Government will require similar humane measures on matters it decides upon.

Submission Attached

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