MOD 1 - Additional ancillary facilities

While I support the project, and the compound off Peatties road, I have serious safety concerns and traffic movement concerns for the street. Thank you for your consideration of my input.



1. Safety:

a. We have a very dangerous corner where the entrance to the compound is. There is no footpath. It is not safe now, as pedestrians are forced onto the narrow street, on a blind corner.

b. It will be even more unsafe with the proposed increase in traffic movements.







2. Traffic Movement

a. Modification Report.

The modification report indicated " Most of the roads used for construction access are regional roads with very high existing traffic
volumes. The additional construction traffic on these would result in a negligible increase in traffic
volumes."

This is misleading. While "most" roads are regional access, Peatties road provides a single entry point for around 70 houses. The increase of an average of 120 vehicle movements a day (referred to in Table 2-3 Proposed Activities) is not a negligible increase. it will likely be double.

b. Traffic Lights

The existing traffic lights function mostly well. There are occasions however, where the traffic light timing only lets through 2 cars. Wait times are around 2 minutes per change at peak hour, which can result in 6-8 minute waits currently. With our small numbers, this is manageable, as it is only at peak times, however by ~doubling our traffic, this will negatively impact the street and may add substantial wait times.






Suggestions/Requests:



1. Safety

a. Build a footpath for pedestrians from the corner of Peatties Road and Charlestown Road (AKA Newcastle Inner City Bybass), through to marshall street to provide safe passage for pedestrians
b. Ensure adequate vision is provided for vehicles entering and exiting the compound (eg. assess trees and road angles)
c. Ensure there is a stop sign exiting the compound to allow time for checking for pedestrians and traffic coming around the blind corner


2. Traffic Movement
a. Assess traffic movement exiting from Peatties Rd onto Charlestown road before and after compound is in use, and re-assess traffic light timings.
b. Consider limiting compound traffic movements during peak hours.

Thank you

I strongly object to the Peatties road location of the Main Construction Compound for the Newcastle Inner City Bypass - Rankin Park to Jesmond on the following points.

- Peatties Road is the only access for the Wimbledon Grove Residents.
- The Wimbledon Grove dead end is zoned rural by the LMCC.
- The Peatties and Newcastle Road/Inner City Bypass intersection is one of the busiest roads in all of the Hunter Valley! The intersection is an incredibly tight 90 degree turn entry that is not safely negotiable by a truck if one or two vehicles are sitting side by side at the intersection to exit Peatties Road at the traffic lights.
- Peatties Road and Wimbledon Grove have no curbing, guttering or stormwater infrastructure along their entire lengths which straddle both the Newcastle City Council and Lake Macquarie City Council areas and boundary.
- Peatties Road is dangerously used by "Rat Runners" during Peak Hour traffic 5 days a week to avoid the Carnely Road traffic line up by turning into Peatties Road to U Turn then exit Peatties Road.
- There is a water course "Tick Hole Creek" that runs thru the proposed Construction Compound site.
- Pedestrian access out of Wimbledon Grove is only available along Peaties Road where pedestrians and school children need to actually walk on the Peatties Road roadway because there is no footpath and the Newcastle City Council refuse to maintain the nature strip where the grass can be upto a metre high and snake infested.
- Peaties Road and its intersection on to the Inner City Bypass will not be able to handle the "estimated" 120 construction vehicle movements per day. It is hard enough to exit Peaties Road as it is NOW without an extra 120 construction truck and vehicle movements.
- Peatties could not handle the 120 construction vehicle movements without considering the existing residents traffic.
- Has a traffic count of existing Peatties Road traffic been conducted?
- It's been stated that the Peatties Road Construction Compound is to be also used as a spoil storage/dump. A double bogie tip truck will not safely make the turn into the proposed compound's entrance.
- In cubic metres how much "spoil" is proposed to be stored there and what type of spoil?
- How is the compound to be powered? If it is by various generators as i suspect they will need to run 24/7 to provide security lighting for the site and their noise will affect residents and the resultant noise has not been shown separately in the decibel tables.
- As it is the main construction compound for the project there will be multiple vehicles accessing the site to meet with Project Management, WH&S and to attend site inductions, safety meetings etc. Is parking to be provided on site? And if so how much parking is to be provided?
- Peatties Road has no dedicated parking whatsoever and is incredibly boggy off of the roadway.
- Why cant the Construction compounds be located on site along the proposed bypass route? It would make economical sense for the successful tenderer and save NSW Tax payers money and minimise the impact to the surrounding suburbs. Are the compounds being located remotely because the environmentalist's wont let an area be cleared in the Jesmond bush where the bypass is to be built?
- If that is the case please see the attached photo of a Wallaby exiting the bush to cross Peatties road. This type of wildlife was not mentioned nor considered in the EIS........
I am making this submission because i have extensive experience in the mobilisation, ongoing function and demobilisation of this type of Construction Compound.
- I am a former Electrical project manager who has previously overseen projects that include;
- The installation of 18kms of Ausgrid High Voltage underground infrastructure for the Hunter Express Way from Branxton back to Kurri thru bushland and delicate indigenous areas.
- Various Level 1 Ausgrid projects around Newcastle and the Hunter Valley.
- The initial installation of the Projects High Voltage infrastructure for both the Cross City Tunnel and the Parramatta Rail link.
- Various large mining projects across Australia.
I am acutely aware of what is involved to set up the proposed Peatties Road Main Construction Compound and its associated infrastructure and the uneven, multileveled overgrown Peatties Road quarry that has inadequate road and access infrastructure is not a viable or cost effective location no matter what some inexperienced engineer concludes....

Please dont hesitate to contact me.

Regards,
Steven Gooch
0432609727

To Mr Kelly
Please find attached a copy of the EPA’s response.

I object to the project in its current form, for the following reasons:
Wimbledon Grove, where I live, has only one exit road, and that is Peatties Rd. It is a narrow road.
If, as is stated on page 13 of the Modification Report, this is going to be the main site compound, and up to 100 light vehicles and 20 heavy vehicles could be using this road, there are major safety issues that need to be addressed. Namely:
• A footpath needs to be built before the compound is established. Children walk and ride to school along this road, as there is no footpath.
• I also suggest that Peatties Rd needs to be widened, at least at the traffic lights, to allow for these extra vehicles.
• Will there be traffic control for the children and residents?
• Will on-site parking be provided for the work vehicles, as there is no room for parking in the street?
• Will Peatties Rd be repaired once construction is over?

In The Assessment Against Standard Criteria, ‘Location of anciliary facilities shall be located more than 50m from a waterway.’ Tickhole Creek runs under Peatties Rd and beside the proposed compound. The environmental impact needs to be addressed.

I am a resident of Wimbledon Grove. The equipment storage, office buildings, material stockpiling etc will significantly impact my own and my family’s quality of life.

My concerns are:

Safety getting into and out of the intersection of Charlestown Road and Peatties Drive. With the volumes of large heavy vehicles using that intersection, I am concerned about cars using the same intersection being wiped out by heavy vehicles turning into and out of the street. I suggest Road widening at the intersection of Peatties Road and Charlestown Road to abate this risk. I also suggest a footpath along Peatties Drive for the safety of pedestrians.

Time to get out of Wimbledon Grove in the morning. I work, my husband works and my kids need to go to school (St Kevin’s Cardiff). The only way to enter and exit Wimbledon Grove is via Peatties Drive. With the extra volume of cars and trucks, I estimate it may take up to 40 minutes to leave my street in the morning. This is unsustainable and will significantly impact mine and my family’s way of life. I suggest opening up Marshall Street and allowing traffic to access Cardiff Road via Marshall St to abate this risk.

Parking - staff will be working at the office buildings placed on the site - where will they park their cars? Wimbledon Grove is a narrow street - with cars parked up and down the street it will diminish my ability to get into and out of my driveway.

Noise - there is bound to be a noise impact, with that large of a presence on the site. With night works, trucks and heavy machinery are bound to use the site at all hours. I also expect that there will be vibration that will impact the environment, and impact mine and my family’s quality of life. I suggest restrictions to the time that the site can be used - 9.30am until 2.30 pm only. I also suggest noise abatement measures be put into place and a contact officer who can be reached at any time provided directly to residents of Wimbledon Grove.

Materials will also be stored at the site. I expect that this would include building material as well as dirt and debris removed from the road project. There is no assurance that the quality of air we breathe will be taken into account, or what types of hazardous materials the dirt / building materials may contain. I believe there is a significant long-term health risk to myself and my family.

I oppose the construction of a compound site at 6 Peatties Road, Kotara as it will cause great disruption and be dangerous to the residents of Wimbledon Grove, Garden Suburb during the estimated 3.5yrs it will take to complete the Rankin Park to Jesmond Bypass. Peatties Road/Wimbledon Grove is Rural Zoned and is a dead end street with the only entry and exit being the Peatties Road traffic lights. The negative impacts of a compound site situated at Peatties Road, Kotara include:
1. Traffic congestion at the Peatties Rd traffic lights - these lights already cause a back log of traffic on Peatties Rd during peak traffic times on the Newcastle Bypass (at least a 5 minute wait for the lights to change) . If a large amount of construction vehicles and trucks (an estimated 120 extra vehicles) are also using Peatties Rd and the traffic lights, long delays and congestion will occur on a regular basis, which is not acceptable.
2. Danger to the large number of children who live in Wimbledon Grove and walk or ride to Garden Suburb Public School or Cardiff High School on a daily basis (my three children included) - the more vehicles driving on Peatties Rd, especially construction trucks, the greater the risk of our children being hit by a vehicle on their way to and from school. Especially as there are no pedestrian paths on either side of Peatties Rd and our children already have to walk close to or on Peatties Rd.
3. The noise emanating from the compound will be unacceptable, especially to the houses located at the start of Wimbledon Grove. The closest house is only approximately 50 metres from the entry to the proposed compound site.

I would like to request an extension of the submission due date to at least the 16th of July.
The extra 120 vehicles of traffic are unacceptable.
The Peatties Rd, Newcastle Rd traffic light intersection will not cope and lead to long delays exiting Peatties Rd and become dangerous with entering and exiting of an extra 12” construction vehicles and trucks.
There is currently no pedestrian access in Peatties Rd.
A traffic survey must be done of the exiting Peatties Rd traffic.
The noise emanating from the compound will be unacceptable.
Wimbledon Grove is a rural zoned dead end street

This week we received a disturbing one page letter dropped in our mailbox from Transport for NSW advising that it has lodged an application with the Department of Planning, Industry and Environment to use 6 Peatties Road, Kotara as a compound site.

The letter provides no information about the timeframe or potential impact that the compound site will have on our community, and instead refers to a planning NSW website where the application can be viewed and feedback provided - https://www.planningportal.nsw.gov.au/major-projects/project/40836.

It’s Saturday evening and I am only just getting a chance to look at the application on the website. The Modification Report that contains the details of the application, is a daunting 468 page document with 246 references to Peatties Road. The report that states the compound will have adverse impacts to the local environment and community. It is on exhibition just until Wednesday 30 June 2021, four days away!

Seriously! Dropping a “consultation” letter in mailboxes out just days before the start of the school holidays and providing less than a week for residents to understand, organise and respond to a proposal that will have a major impact on them over the next several years is not consultation. It seems a very deliberate and undemocratic act of avoidance by Transport for NSW.

Less than a week is not sufficient to review and provide feedback on a 468 page detailed proposal. The exhibition period for the application needs to be extended to allow proper consultation with the community to occur.

After an initial review of the main document, the Modification Report, there is a long list of concerns and more time is needed to respond adequately. But for now, below are some issues regarding the accuracy of some of the information and assumptions made, that need to be considered further.

• Average worst case vehicle movements each day
The Transport for NSW Modification Report implies that worst case, an average of one hundred and twenty light and heavy vehicles accessing our street will provide a safe environment for the workers. And we need to be clear that this is an average, so it will be higher, and it is in fact a best case estimate provided in an application that is prepared with the purpose of getting approval. In reality there will be vastly higher movements of traffic on a road that the report states currently has very low daily traffic volumes. So the change will be a major one for the residents.

What the report has failed to identify is the fact that the safety of the men, women, and children who live in, drive, bike, walk, and run up and down their street, will be at an enormously increased risk.

There are no pedestrian pathways, no nearby parkland or other recreational spaces available to the people in this neighbourhood and so this street is critical to providing them, as well as others visitors who come to run the street and stairs, with pedestrian access and much needed amenity. Children can be always be found playing up and down their street.

Given the size of this report, it is hard to understand why a proper traffic analysis or Peatties Road/Wimbledon Grove was not carried out. The tight bend of the intersection is often difficult for cars to navigate let alone a much larger vehicle fleet. This is a major oversight. There have already been a number of traffic incidents at the Peatties Road intersection. Lots of big trucks sharing the road with children playing, walking or riding to school or elsewhere, will not be safe. If this goes ahead, sadly there will be a high chance of a tragic event occurring as has unfortunately happened at other construction sites.

• Construction dust, noise and vibration will be mitigated where feasible and reasonable
The Modification Report states there will be exceedances of the human comfort vibration criteria during standard working hours and during out of hours work, and that construction noise would result in reduced amenity for residents. Yet the report states that with the implementation of standard environmental management measures and ongoing consultation no significant impacts are expected. During afterhours, our quiet neighbourhood will be subject to exceedances of the construction noise management level with impacts of up to 31 dB(A) over the construction noise management level.

As access to the proposed compound site would not pass any residential properties the report deduces there would be negligible effect. In fact, every resident and visitor will be impacted as Peatties Road is the gateway to our neighbourhood and the only means of entering and exiting.

Peatties Road/Wimbledon Grove is a no through road that is home to a very quiet neighbourhood set in quiet residential/rural zoned valley. It is a place that time has forgotten. Any dust or construction noise, let alone noise that exceeds criteria, is totally unacceptable and completely counter to the lifestyle values that people were attracted to and signed up to when they moved into the area. Significant impacts will be inevitable should the proposal go ahead.

• Negligible to minor changes in environmental impacts
The Modification Report identified minor environmental risks, although it stated that the proposed Peatties Road site contained relevant biodiversity values, in the form of native wetland vegetation. It also stated that the proposal would have a direct impact on biodiversity associated with the removal of 0.2 hectares of low-condition native vegetation.

This proposal should not go ahead and efforts should instead be made to maintain and upgrade this unique and important biodiversity area in the heart of Newcastle. It provides food and habitat for a wide range of flora and fauna. The proposal would only degrade this environment and it’s biodiversity even further, contrary to the principle stated in the report: ‘the diversity of genes, species, populations and communities, as well as the ecosystems and habitats to which they belong, must be maintained and improved to ensure their survival’.

• Main construction compound
What is meant by the proposal to use Peatties Road as a replacement site for Construction Compound A, to become what the report refers to as the “main construction compound” for the project? The proposed scale of this is extremely worrying and needs further explanation.

I am writing as a concerned family living in Wimbledon grove .
We request an extension of the submission to at least mid july.
The extra 120 vehicles of traffic involved will be unnaceptable. We already have considerable wait times at those traffic lights to get in and out of street.(only way out)
The turn into street is already too small for normal car size
There is no pedestrian access to street and street is full of young families and children that walk to school
Noise from quarry will be unaceptable for residents
We are a rural zoned street that is a dead end, we have no other way in or out other than to compete with all the trucks/construction vehicles. Marshall street is blocked off to use.
A traffic survey must be observed as part of this consideration. There are more than 73 households that use that set of already painfully slow traffic lights.

Issues within executive summary :
p iv identifies a SINGLE resident adjacent to the Lookout Road site as being ‘given an overview of the modification” to seek a use agreement for the adjacent vacant block on Feb 26. This implies a 3.5 month delay in notify other nearby residents who would be equally affected by the proposed site modification, and significantly reducing the window for them to assess & respond to the proposal - all of the letterbox drop houses have been given only 2 weeks, which appears to be a (common) & deliberate attempt to minimise the number and depth of community submissions. Regardless of the relationship of that resident to the adjacent block (owner, tenant, neighbour), this is an incongruous & seemingly biased variable in fair & equitable community consultation. Notwithstanding the comments on a single submission on p25, the repose being made to the individual alone supports the lack of clarity and timeframe inherent in a 468 page document which was only recently brought to the attention of local residents.

p5 identifies the alleged main reason for modification to the construction compounds is the impact & timing of Health Infrastructure plan for the John Hunter campus redevelopment, which has been delayed because of the prolonged delays in approval for EIS amendments made on this project (from 2016). This does not explain why the original footprint for the original construction compound was too small to begin with.

p 8-11 identifies the primary compound as the Peatties road site - particularly given the number of traffic movements makes up 64.5% on a site less than 1/4 the area of the Astra Road site, this is disproportionate. It ignores the fact that this is the ONLY site where affected residents have only one route in and out of their street (Wimbledon Grove), which does NOT meet criteria for ‘minimal environmental & social constraints (p8).

Table 6-2 identifies Peatties Road identifies daily traffic volumes as being ‘very low’ and Marshall Street as being ‘low”. The admission of the lack of available traffic data shows ignorance to the fact that traffic flow is significantly higher on Peatties Road being the exclusive thoroughfare for ~90 residences in Wimbledon Grove, far more than traffic flow within Marshall Street (the affected portion). The number of proposed construction vehicle movements proposed into Peatties Road would not be a ‘minor impact’ given the timing of movement likely coinciding with peak hour times demand on a single thoroughfare and set of lights turning onto Lookout/Charlestown Road - if there are even 200 existing vehicle movements a day on Peatties (likely underestimate), the extra movemtents would represent a 60% increase in traffic movements - not a ‘minor impact’.

The traffic impact also ignores the safety risks for a significant number of pedestrians , cyclists and recreational runners who regular use Peatties Road as a thoroughfare and to access public transport- in particular a high number of schoolchildren who need to access school transport from Charlestown Road. At present there is no appropriate pedestrian thoroughfare along Wimbledon or Peatties Road, and safety is risks are currently limited by the awareness of local residents - however non-residents using Peatties Road will significantly increase this risk , particular with commercial & heavy vehicles. Clearly, far more work needs to be put into traffic and pedestrian safety.

The scope for vehicles turning from Peatties Road into the proposed compound site is extremely limited , particularly for long or heavy vehicles and is likely to cause more traffic congestion, damage to existing road surface and risk to pedestrians without significant modification

P 47 statement “Due to the predicted impacts the construction noise and vibration mitigation measures recommended for the project will be implemented where feasible and reasonable” “ Construction support activities” and “General compound activities” are NOT clearly defined (intermittent v constant use) within the document or Appendix E/GHD assessment document. The “buffer zone” defining the range for noise sensitive receivers does not take into account the natural geography of the surrounding valley, with natural echo/reverberation increasing the range of this zone. Noise & vibration mitigation measures are not defined or specified, and who defines ‘feasible & reasonable’ - project management ? Receivers? Workers?

For a resident (or as the documents identify me euphemistically “receiver”), this document is long enough for many people to neither read NOR understand the local & personal impacts, such that there is less likelihood of putting in a cogent submission in such a short time e and without adequate detail outlining not just potential impacts over ~30 months, but does little to address mitigation or support measures for impacts that will be endured by the residents in Wimbledon Grove, other than to make complaints after the fact, which will have NO bearing on the operations of this compound. Similarly, there is no discussion of the consequences for the builders/developers if the estimated traffic/noise/vibration or environmental impacts are exceeded (indeed there is no detail on who is responsible for monitoring and reporting during the operating lifespan of the compound).

Further detail and direct community consultation appears necessary, and a revision of the proposal for the scope of activities which are likely to have a disproportionate impact upon local residents - sorry, “receivers” - near the Peatties Road site.



‘

Major concerns are
- getting in and out of Wimbledon grove
- safety on our street for pedestrians
- nighttime noise

-

Good evening,

I am writing to oppose the proposed construction compound being considered at the old quarry on Peatties Road, Garden Suburb Re: the City Bypass road from Rankin Park to Jesmond project.
In the first instance, notification of this proposed construction compound site has been limited with minimal to no information being provided to residents of Wimbledon Grove and Marshall Street, with no consultation occurring with myself or other residence. For a proposal of this type, the significant impact to the residents of Wimbledon Grove and Marshall Street in relation to traffic concerns (both volume and access & egress), safety to both local traffic and pedestrians (especially children), and the environmental impacts such as noise and air quality, it would be expected that more notification and consultation would take place. Given the lack of notification and consultation I would like to request and extension to the submission date to at least the 1st of August 2021, in order to review the current documents and allow for appropriate and necessary consultation to occur.

As a resident in Wimbledon Grove Garden Suburb, my opposition and concerns with regard to this proposal is due to the following reasons:
1. Traffic concerns:
- the additional 120 daily vehicle movements on top of an already busy street is unacceptable.
- The Peatties Road, Newcastle Road traffic light intersection will not cope with this additional traffic, which will lead to long delays when exiting Peatties Road, becoming dangerous with regard to the entering and exiting of an additional 120 constructiol vehicles and trucks.
- The entering into Peatties Road has significant limitations with traffic backing up the road blocking 1 major lane of Newcastle Road when travelling south.
- A traffic survey must be conducted for both the entering and exiting traffic to and from Peatties Road.

2. The safety to both local traffic and pedestrians must be of paramount concern.
- The proposed entering and exiting of 120 vehicle from the old quarry via Peatties road, will create a dangerous situation for local residence, both traffic and pedestrians, due to the blind corners that currently exist at the exit/entering point of the quarry. Currently there is no pedestrian access in Peatties road, with many local families using this area for transit to and from the local school. Safety concerns will significantly increase for children and families walking and riding to and from school along Peatties Road with the increase in traffic volume and constraints of the road.

3. The environmental concerns to the residence in the street must also be of paramount concern.
- the noise levels emanating from this type of compound will be unacceptable and will significantly impact upon the residence of the street such as generators running 24 hours per day along with truck and vehicle noise.
- Air quality will be effected given the additional amount of daily vehicle traffic, generator emissions, and dust particulates.
- There is also a creek that currently runs through the quarry which may be impacted from possible pollution from the compound such as diesel and oil spills.
- Local flora and fauna will be effected including native birds, kangaroos, and other small marsupials that reside in our local bushland with Wimbledon Grove being a rural zoned area.
- Parts of Wimbledon Grove and surrounding areas are zoned as a bushfire risk, and as the street is a dead end with only one exit, considerable risk associated with evacuation from the street will be increased.

4. A further consideration that must be raised is the mental health impact upon the residents of Wimbledon Grove and Marshall Street if this construction compound is approved. The impacts upon residents as outlined above will have a significant and long lasting effect.

The above concerns that I have raised in this submission will impact significantly on the residents of Wimbledon Grove and Marshall Street if the current proposal for a construction compound in the old quarry is approved. I would ask you to consider the traffic, environmental, safety, and health impacts that will occur is this proposal is approved.

Regards

Scott Coulson
27 Wimbledon Grove Garden Suburb
NSW 2289

No consideration has been given to the limitations of the entrance/traffic lights to Peatties Road/Wimbledon Grove. Current proposal will impact on residents on Wimbledon Grove and Charlestown Road. This is the only access for the residents of Wimbledon Grove. Already during peak times the vehicles have to wait for multiple cycles to get out of Peatties Road. The proposed 120 vehicles accessing the site is totally unacceptable.
Coming into Peatties Road from Charlestown Road is three narrow lanes large vehicles already have difficulty turning into Peatties Road. If vehicles are waiting at the lights to turn either way onto Charlestown road truks will have to sit at the lights ant wait for the waiting traffic to clear. Will the bus stop on Charlestown Road be impacted or will it be reloacted?
Peatties Road has no pedestrian foot paths and residents children currently have to walk on the road when either going to or coming from Charlestown Road.
Overnight activities at the Peatties Road compound will have a significant impact on the residents of Wimbledon Grove. Previous rail work has proven the noise the work can generate. For 3 years plus how many nights per week?
Has consideration been thought of for emergency vehicles entering and leaving the area? Bush fire plan etc
In the quarry area there is an abundance of wild life, possums, wallabys. Bird life here is amazing Black cockatoos, white cockatoos, powerful owls, boo book owls, frog mouth night jays, superb fairy wrens, honey eaters, bush turkeys, so what will happen to there habbitats?
Wimbeldon Grove is zoned rural and this project has not identified how the habitat of the fauna will be protected.
Details of this with out consultation of the residents is not acceptable. Many questions remained unanswered, I am requesting an extension of the due date to at least 16th July and further meetings will the residents to clarify details.

Thank you for the opportunity for me to submit my objection to this project. Please see following my concerns:

The only consideration regarding the impacts of the proposal available within the lodged document is noted as: ‘The construction traffic impacts at this location would be limited to the additional traffic using the traffic light controlled intersection of Peatties Road and Charlestown Road. This impact would be limited to the residents of Wimbledon Grove. As such, the construction traffic movements on Peatties Road are only expected to cause a minor impact’.

This assessment is inadequate and is dismissive of key considerations being:

- No consideration of the limitations of the traffic lights at Peatties Road has been made. The current proposal is likely to create significant traffic delays, not only to the Wimbledon Grove residents, but also to Charlestown Road.
- Notwithstanding, limitation of traffic impacts to only Wimbledon Grove residents does not automatically result in the proposal having a minor impact. The traffic lights are the only means of access to Wimbledon Grove. There are no other options. Impacts to this intersection will have significant impacts to residents of Wimbledon Grove.

A more detailed and site-specific analysis of the impacts to the residents of Wimbledon Grove is required. No analysis or consideration of this access has been undertaken by a traffic engineer, being the only way Wimbledon Grove can leave the street. If the traffic and associated delays are not properly considered, we have no way of bypassing or avoiding. Rather we will be stuck in queues, particularly in peak periods as we try to get out of the street to go to work and take the kids to school and pick them up.

This analysis should also consider whether the vehicles and truck accessing the compound have the ability to appropriately be situated to activate the ‘in road’ traffic light sensor when exiting Peatties Road. It is common that larger vehicles with trailers exiting Peatties Road, that their wheels cannot be placed (or are not aligned well enough) to trigger the traffic light sensor. When this occurs, it can be 2-3 light cycles where the intersection is fully blocked as the lights only trigger the left hand turns. The truck driver eventually gets frustrated as they are not aware of what the issue is, and end up illegally turning right on a red light. Alternatively, a resident needs to exit their vehicle and press the pedestrian crossing button to force the red light.

No traffic data has been collected for Peatties Road. It is anticipated that if adequate due diligence was undertaken, then a clear picture of the likely unacceptable impacts would result. While limited houses are on Wimbledon Grove, the service of the traffic lights is delayed. It is noted that this would likely be a deprioritised light, and as a result, the delays at the light can be substantial in the morning peaks. This intersection is the only way to accessing Wimbledon Grove. Already in the mornings, a cycle of many lights can take place before exiting Wimbledon Grove. The current application does not consider this in any context and cannot be considered to have provided appropriate data for assessment.

If this compound is to go ahead, then the reestablishment of the connection of Marshall Street to the north should be a requirement of the project to ensure that residents are not "street locked" for three years.

Truck turning at the intersection of Lookout Road and Peatties Road requires more analysis, including truck turning drawings. The intersection out of Peatties Road comprises three narrow lanes and larger trucks cannot enter the street easily coming from the south. If cars are queued to turn right out of Peatties Road, it is unlikely that trucks will be able to turn in and will block the Lookout Road traffic. Similarly, the queuing capacity at the lights from Lookout Road into Peatties Road does not allow much queuing before it blocks Lookout Road. The documentation provided with this application appears to assume all traffic would come from the north, which is unlikely.
Parking

Peatties Road/Wimbledon Grove is a sealed, but un-guttered road. No footpath is available and pedestrian access is not safe at the bend of the road near where the access to the compound is proposed. Pedestrians currently have no choice but to walk on the road (especially concerning for our school kids who walk to and from school).

It is expected that some workers will park on the street, rather than in the compound. This will impact traffic and pedestrian safety. Further, it will damage the landscaping verges as with the existing damage that is currently visible. This damage is from vehicles associated with the rail parking for only small periods of time.

It is considered that should this compound go ahead, a clear and specific condition of consent regarding no parking for any compound vehicles or staff on the public road network, for any purpose. This should then also be a key contractual obligation for the future contractor.

If a shuttle bus is proposed for workers, can this access the compound noting the state of the access and slope. Where will this park? It should not be allowed on the road, as this will encourage the staff to park on the road rather that in the compound.

What upgrades to the access and road is proposed?

Acoustic Impacts

Overnight activities should not be permitted, that would have significant impacts to residents. It does not appear that any cumulative consideration of the Peatties Road compound, in addition to the Marshall Street compound has taken place. There are properties impacted by the contours for both properties and this has not been considered in relation to either duration or intensity.

Clearer appreciation of the acoustic impacts is needed in the night period. A three year construction is a long period of time for OOHW exceedances. How often will night works occur?

Stockpiles are expected to have the greatest impact. Can this element be removed from the Peatties Road site? Can these stockpiles be placed along the construction area?

The original approval and compound sites did not result in OOHW impacts to such a high number of residential properties. It is not considered that the modification and the supporting documents has adequately addressed this substantial change to the context of the consideration.

Other matters

- Details of how the site will be rehabilitated after, including the road reserve
- Analysis of whether the proposal increases the bushfire risk to property and life, including evacuation.
- Impacts of the infrastructure upgrades required. Will this result in additional tree removal. Will there be interruptions to supply issues to the street.
- Air quality assessment for the proposed stockpile is required. Restrictions on the materials, size and management of this site.

I understand that we have been provided a 14 day time frame to submit our submission to the development however due to the current COVID restrictions and the complexity and the detail of the Modification Report, I request an additional 21 days to submit our submissions. The additional time will provide us the opportunity to sufficiently review the documentation and draft a suitable submission letter that outlines all of our concerns. Many thanks.

Peatties Road which leads into Wimbledon Grove is a unique place in Garden Suburb. It remains semi rural in parts and has a large number of families with young children. These young children have relative freedom to roam this quiet street, ride their bikes and play with neighbours knowing that they are safe from a large flow of traffic. A large number of children and their families walk or ride to their local primary school and high school. This lifestyle will be severely impacted by a construction compound being located there. Although I don’t live in the street, my youngest child spends a lot of weekends playing with friends who live there. They choose to play there rather than our house because of the freedom the street offers. It is disappointing that this will be spoilt by this construction compound. I don’t support it at all.

My concerns are with the safety of the amount of children in this street coming and going from school. We need pathways created to keep them safe. We also really need the set of lights size of the street widened, it’s way too narrow as it is, and the lights reconfigured to allow more movement coming and going from the street, you can wait sometimes for more than 5 minutes just trying to get out of the street.
Also the noise and mess associated with large equipment and vehicles, and how the area in the quarry will deteriorate with the use of it in this manner. There are wallabies in this area so the flora and fauna need to be considered.

Traffic

The only consideration of the impacts of the proposal available in the lodged documents is a comment, being:
‘The construction traffic impacts at this location would be limited to the additional traffic using the traffic light controlled intersection of Peatties Road and Charlestown Road. This impact would be limited to the residents of Wimbledon Grove. As such, the construction traffic movements on Peatties Road are only expected to cause a minor impact’.

This assessment is inadequate, and is dismissive of key considerations, being:
• No consideration of the existing limitations of the traffic lights at Peatties Road has been made. The current proposal is likely to create significant traffic delays, not only to the Wimbledon Grove residents, but also to Charlestown Road.
• Notwithstanding, limitation of traffic impacts to only Wimbledon Grove residents does not automatically result in the proposal having a minor impact. The traffic light is the only means of access to Wimbledon Grove. There are no other options. Impacts to this intersection will have significant impacts to residents of Wimbledon Grove.

A more detailed and site-specific analysis of the impacts to the residents of Wimbledon Grove is required. No analysis or consideration of this access has been undertaken by a traffic engineer, being the only way Wimbledon Grove can leave the street. If the traffic and associated delays are not properly considered, we have no way of bypassing or avoiding construction traffic. Rather we will be stuck in queues, particularly in peak periods as we try to get out of the street to go to work and take kids to school.

This analysis should also consider whether the vehicles and truck accessing the compound have the ability to appropriately be situated to trigger the in-road traffic light sensor when exiting Peatties Road. It is common that larger vehicles with trailers exiting Peatties Road, that their wheels cannot be placed (or are not aligned well enough by a driver) to trigger the traffic light sensor. When this occurs, it can be 2-3 light cycles where the intersection is fully blocked as the lights only trigger for left hand turns. The truck driver eventually gets frustrated as they are not aware of what the issue is, and end up illegally turning right on a red light. Alternatively, a resident needs to exit their vehicle and press the pedestrian crossing button to force the right turn red light.

No traffic data has been collected for Peatties Road. It is anticipated that if adequate due diligence was undertaken, rather than making assumptions, then a clear picture of the likely unacceptable impacts would result. While limited houses are on Wimbledon Grove, the service of the traffic lights is delayed. It is noted that this would likely be a deprioritised light when exiting Wimbledon Grove, and as a result, the delays at the light can be substantial in the morning peaks. Again it is reiterated that this intersection is the only way of accessing Wimbledon Grove. Already in the mornings, a cycle of many lights can take place before exiting Wimbledon Grove. The current application does not consider this in any context, and cannot be considered to have provided appropriate data for assessment of impacts.

If this compound is to go ahead, then the reestablishment of the connection of Marshall Street to the north should be a requirement of the project, to ensure that residents are not street locked for three years.

Truck turning at the intersection of Charlestown Road and Peatties Road requires more analysis, including that truck turning drawings need to be prepared. The intersection out of Peatties Road comprises three narrow lanes, and larger truck cannot enter the street easily when coming from the south. If cars are queued to turn right out of Peatties Road, it is unlikely that trucks will be able to turn in, and will block the Lookout Road traffic. Similarly, the queuing capacity at the light from Lookout Road into Peatties Road does not allow much queuing before it blocks Charlestown Road. The documentation provided with this application appears to assume all traffic would come from the north, which is unlikely. This turning analysis should also be required to demonstrate whether the tyres for expected vehicles would be able to be placed on the in-road sensors, in order to activate a red light.

Parking

Peatties Road/Wimbledon Grove is a sealed, but unguttered road. No footpath is available, and pedestrian access is not safe at the bend of the road near where the access to the compound is proposed. Pedestrians currently have no choice but to walk on the road. Footpath construction should be required.

It is expected that some workers will park on the street, rather than in the compound. This will impact traffic and pedestrian safety. Further, it will damage the road verges, as with the existing damage that is currently visible. This damage is from vehicles associated with the rail parking for only small periods of time.
It is considered that should this compound go ahead, a clear and specific condition of consent regarding no parking for any compound vehicles or staff on the public road network, for any purpose. This should then also be a key contractual obligation for the future contractor.

If a shuttle bus is proposed for workers, can this access the compound noting the state of the access and slope. Where will this park? It should not be allowed on the road, as this will encourage the staff to park on the road rather than in the compound.

What upgrades to the access and road are proposed? These details should be part of the application, and notified to residents.

Acoustic Impacts

Overnight activities should not be permitted, that would have significant impacts to residents. It does not appear that any cumulative consideration of the Peatties Road compound, in addition to the Marshall Street compound, has taken place. There are properties impacted by the acoustic contours for both compounds, and this has not be considered in relation to either duration or intensity.

Clearer appreciation of the acoustic impacts is needed in the night period. A three year construction is a long period of time for OOHW exceedances. How often will night works occur?

Stockpiles are expected to have the greatest impact. Can this element be removed from the Peatties Road site? Can these stockpiles be placed along the construction area?

The original approval and compound sites did not result in OOHW impacts to such a high number of residential properties. It is not considered that the modification and the supporting documents has adequately addressed this substantial change to the context of the consideration.

Other matters

• Details of how the site will be rehabilitated after, including the road reserve
• Analysis of whether the proposal increases the bushfire risk to property and life, including evacuation.
• Impacts of the infrastructure upgrades required. Will this result in additional tree removal? Will there be interruptions or supply issues to the street?
• Air quality assessment for the proposed stockpile is required. Restrictions on the materials, size and management of the site should be made.
• Previous heritage and non-indigenous archaeology assessments did not include the Peatties Road site, and should not be relied on. While tickhole tunnel does not appear to be a state heritage listed item, it would be in the curtilaged of the listed railway. Further, it is also registered under Section 170 of the NSW Heritage Act 1977. No details of construction impacts and vibration on this 1890s tunnel appears to have been undertaken.

As a resident of Wimbledon Grove, I am concerned that our only access (entry/exit) in and out of our street, via Peaties Rd, will be significantly impacted if the proposed ancillary facility on Peaties Rd proceeds. My objections are as follows:

1. Road Safety
- The current road will not sustain the introduction of an additional 100 lightweight vehicles and 20 industrial vehicles on a daily basis.
- The impact on Charlestown Rd would be significant and cause major traffic delays at the Carnley interchange (which already proves a hazardous interchange during peek traffic times for those seeking to turn right into Peaties Rd).
- There is no safe pedestrian access on this road, however many school children walk here daily.
- Peaties Rd is not wide enough and the angle is unsuitable for heavy-weight vehicles to safely enter/exit.
- Peaties Rd is the only entry/exist for residents on Wimbledon Gr, and also some of Marshall St.
- No traffic survey has been completed.

2. Environmental Impact
- The proposed site has a known noxious weed, Giant Parramatta Grass (as well as regular Parramatta Grass); no mention of weed management on site has been made.
- No long-term plan of how to safely dispose of waste and any construction materials once the project concludes has been given.
- Significant vibrations have been mentioned, however Wimbledon Gr is a known mine subsidence area. What assurance will residents have that they will be protected and/or compensated should any damages occur as a result of this?

3. Residential Disruption
- This is a residential area, and the noise, traffic, dust and other pollution at this site will greatly impact those who live in the area.
- The safety of children and pedestrians using Peaties Rd to access public transport, schools and other facilities has not been addressed.
- Entry to and from the road for residents travelling to/from work during peak times will be greatly impacted.

Thank you for your time, and I look forward to a suitable outcome for all those involved being found.

Kind regards,
Sheree

Submission in relation to SSI-6888 Mod 1 Additional ancillary facilities

I make this submission as a resident of Wimbledon Grove, a road that joins Peatties Road near the proposed construction compound associated with the proposal.

I am opposed to the proposed construction compound on Peatties Road primarily for the following reasons:

1. Safety issues with additional traffic movements.

The Peatties Road junction with the Newcastle Inner City Bypass road is the only entry/exit for residents on Wimbledon Grove. An additional 120 vehicle movements per day particularly for larger vehicles, is of great concern for reasons of safety. It will be quite awkward for large vehicles to negotiate the bend at the top of Peatties road. If vehicles cross the centre of the road or move towards the edge of the road oncoming traffic as well as pedestrians will be at risk. In particular, many people (pedestrians) use the roadside. This includes children walking, riding and scootering to and from school; walkers and runners exercising; and people walking dogs. There is no formed footpath and the additional traffic will be dangerous.

The additional vehicle movements are also likely to cause inconvenience to residents, particularly at times they are coming to and from work and school drop-offs.

No traffic survey has been done for the proposed development (construction compound), so the above concerns have not been properly identified or taken into account. This work needs to be done and appropriate measures implemented (such as adequate traffic control and safe footpath for pedestrian access) to address the safety issues.

2. Noise

Noise outside human comfort level has been anticipated (see table 6.5). In particular (page 47) noise at levels causing sleep disturbance is anticipated during late night hours and this is expected to affect 391 and 89 “receivers” depending on the time of night. We understand that only 17 residents were directly consulted.

The proposal identifies these noise impacts and undertakes to mitigate them where 'feasible and reasonable'. The definition of feasible and reasonable is not given. This does not provide an adequate level of protection for residents.

More information must be provided to residents likely to be affected and a commitment to mitigate noise provided.

Overall, the proposal to locate a construction compound near Peatties Road is not acceptable to residents of Wimbledon Grove. It should either not proceed or should be modified to fully address residents' concerns.