MOD 1 - Additional ancillary facilities

Can we please have an extension to the submission date - give residents time to log a submission.
There will be an extra 120 vehicle movements from the additional facilty per day - this will cause large delays at the intersection of Peaties road and Newcastle Road. This intersection does not work as it is when a truck is exiting entering peaties road due to the nature of the intersection and the detection of vehicles.
This will cause long delays at this intersection....there are already long delays if more than 4 vechicles are exiting Peaties road.
There is no pedestrian access on Peaties road - much more traffic will put pedestrian traffic in danger on Peaties road.
A traffice survey should be implemented to assess the impact that using this space for addtional ancillary facility.

The “Document” referred to in my submission is the
Newcastle Inner City Bypass – Rankin Park to Jesmond, Modification report: additional construction compounds May 2021

As a resident of the Wimbleton Grove/Marshall St community I am voicing my objections to the proposed “Main Construction and Administration Compound” for the old Peatties Rd quarry.
The reasons for my objection are as follows.
1. The increased number of Vehicles coming in and going from the site will negatively affect local residents. An extra 100 cars and 20 trucks using Peatties Rd, a distance of less than 0.5km, between the traffic lights at the intersection with Charlestown Rd and the start of Wimbleton Grove will impact the area in a number of ways such as:
a. Increase the possibility of pedestrian injury and collision on Peatties Rd. As there are no footpaths local residents must use the road to walk along Peatties Rd for exercise, to reach public transport and to walk their dogs. Increased traffic to this area increases the risk of death to local residents considerably and must be addressed.
b. Increase in the time taken for locals, service people working in the area and service vehicles to enter and exit Charlestown Rd.
c. Increase the congestion and likelihood of accidents. The existing right turning lane into Peatties Rd would not accommodate the increased turning traffic and would increase congestion and risk of accident on Charlestown Rd and Peatties Rd.
d. This congestion will also negatively affect a main thoroughfare for ambulances travelling to John Hunter Hospital.
e. Cause anxiety for local residents regarding time management of their travel to and from work and appointments. The mental health of our community is important and worth consideration.
2. Increased Noise. The noise of construction is unacceptable and will adversely affect the quality of life of local residents. We chose to live in this area for its peace and quiet and do not want this disrupted. Your provided summary regarding noise uses technical jargon and is not explained clearly. However we must assume given the activity proposed and operating hours that it would be disruptive to local residents and neighbouring wildlife.
3. The effect of high levels of noise and heavy vehicle movement on Biodiversity. Your document states that research has shown there are no known or identified endangered species in the quarry area, but there does not seem to be any information or research about the effect of noise on birdlife in the bush/small forest across the road from the quarry area or on the fauna –reptiles, echidnas and small mammals. I would be interested in the outcomes of such research.
This bush area supports a wide variety of birdlife. These birds are important to the ecology of the area. Migratory birds also come through at different flowering times increasing biodiversity in the area. Construction noise will frighten these birds away. Also there is fauna that live in the quarry /bush/forest region that will if your plan continues, be affected adversely by machinery and noise. Echidnas, as well as native reptiles and small marsupials have been observed in these areas and local residents.
fear for their safety.
For the above reasons, I consider the placing of a construction compound at Peatties Rd to be a dangerous decision in relation to People's lives and welfare. Also at times when habitats for wildlife are decreasing due to urbanisation (vegetation, removed, fire, noise concerns etc), the welfare of our diverse wildlife should also be important.
Thank you for considering my submission.
Rhonda Smith




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Re: Development application 1/6 Peatties Road, Kotara, SSI-6888-Mod-1

We have received a notification letter of modification 1 for additional ancillary facilities for the Rankin Park to Jesmond Bypass (SSI-6888-Mod-1).
We understand that we have been provided a 14 day time frame to submit our submission to the development, however we request an additional 21 days to submit our submission. The additional time will provide us the opportunity to sufficiently review the documentation and draft a suitable submission letter that outlines our concerns.

Concerns:
Traffic issues - the existing turning lane into Peatties road will not accommodate the traffic turning right and will cause the right lane to back up and be a traffic hazard all the way to Lookout road. Safety concerns from increased traffic flow.
The Noise emanating from the compound will be unacceptable
Stress and anxiety caused by increased dust, noise from trucks and from generators running 24 hours a day.

If you can please confirm whether this extension of time is acceptable via email that would be greatly appreciated.

Kind regards,
Elizabeth Hamilton

I would like to strongly object the project on several grounds. The first being Access to the site from the Newcastle link road into Peatties rd. which is the only access to the site for both all residential traffic and potential construction traffic keeping in mind Wimbledon grove is a Rural zone dead end street. In my opinion this is highly inappropriate for the use that is intended in the proposal for the quarry to be used as a Main construction compound. Making it highly Dangerous for light vehicles both trying to enter and exit Peatties road, in turn this is likely to cause large delays on the link road. Theses large vehicles and construction equipment is also inappropriate and dangerous for the many pedestrians that use this road every day ranging from school children to the elderly who are already forced to walk on the road as there is no pathway and the nature strip is often poorly maintained forcing pedestrians onto the road. The access was also never intended for the extra traffic flow associated with the anticipated extra 120 vehicles from the project.

Secondly the use of the quarry outside normal construction hours I feel is inappropriate for an area that adjoins residential housing as there will be significant noise and no doubt air pollution (dust) coming from the many stock piling activities occurring on site no matter the amount of controls put in place to minimise the affects.

Thirdly the impact on the local Flora and fauna in the area i feel has not adequately been taken into consideration there has often been wallabies, bandicoots and many different bird species that frequent the area to name just a few. There is also a water way running through the area in the form of the creek that runs under the road and into the quarry area.

Finally i feel that the local affected community has not been given adequate time or consultation on the project that will directly impacts our every day lives, the safety of our families and no doubt the real estate prices of our properties. I feel in light of this, an extension should be granted for the submission due date to be pushed back to mid to late July so the community can fully investigate the many impacts that this facility may have, on not only the safety of our families but how our everyday lives are going to be impacted.

I am a resident of Wimbledon Grove and find it unacceptable that Peatties Road has been identified as a location for the main construction compound to support this project.

Wimbledon Grove is a rural zoned dead end street and home to a large number of families. Due to the large amount of families who reside in the street there is a significant number of children that use this passage to access the local Garden Suburb Primary school along with the local bus stop to access public transport. The proposed compound will bring with it significant traffic to an already busy intersection and make it extremely dangerous. I believe a traffic survey and footpath needs to be considered in an effort to make this passage a safer area for those including myself that use it on a regular basis.

The intersection itself is also another major concern as it already becomes congested due to the volume of traffic at peak hours during the day coupled with the poor design / access to and from the bypass. The addition of a further 120 construction vehicles would place immense pressure on an intersection that wasn’t designed for this purpose. Currently the design makes it a dangerous area for a light vehicle due to poor space, lack of line marking and a tight turning point. Further assessment on this area needs to be undertaken with a solution that will cope with current traffic and the addition of the proposed heavy vehicles.

Operating this area 24hrs a day I feel is unacceptable given it directly adjoins residential properties and will cause significant disruption to all in the area.

Finally the lack of notification warrants an extension to allow the community that is directly affect time to gain the relevant information surrounding this proposal and lodge their submission. It will directly impact our daily life, the safety of our family and property prices for the coming years and I feel is unacceptable to be given such little communication around the project.

I am the recent owner of 58 Marshall Street, New Lambton Heights.

I am concerned about the disruption that could arise by using 10-12 Main Road/60 Marshall Street, Cardiff Heights as a compound site.

I am concerned about the level of noise and traffic that will come about by using the site next door to my house, particularly over the 5-year construction period. My residential street is narrow and a no-through road and I often park my car on the street outside my house, as do my housemates.

I am concerned about accessibility to the parking on my street outside my house.

I am concerned about noise-generation from the use of the land next door from staff, machinery etc. particularly if this is out of business hours.

I am concerned about my level of privacy within my home being compromised.

I am concerned that rentability of my property throughout the duration of the project may decrease because of the presence and use of the compound site.

While I am happy for this project to proceed, I am displeased about the use of 10-12 Main Road/60 Marshall Street being used as a compound site.
I would like 10-12 Main Road/60 Marshall Street to not be used as a compound site.

Moving forward, I would appreciate reassurance from those involved in the project that I am able to approach those relevant if any issues or concerns arise if 10-12 Main Road/60 Marshall Street is used as a compound site.

PEATTIES RD MAIN CONSTRUCTION COMPOUND

Thank you to Michael and Anton from Transport NSW for the opportunity to meet on site. Following this I would like to follow up formally on the following points.

CONSULTATION

The initial consultation in Nov 2020 was very limited and failed to address that Wimbledon Grove in LMCC would be affected. The modification was submitted in May 2021, however flyers to Wimbledon Grove residents were not received till the start of the exhibition 16 Jun 2021, with only two weeks for us to submit a response. My first request would be for an extension till 16 July to the exhibition in light of the limited consultation coupled with COVID restrictions and difficulty in submitting objections through the planning portal.

TRAFFIC MANAGEMENT - There have been very limited consideration of the impacts of the proposal to the residents directly affected on Wimbledon Grove and Marshall St. No consideration has been made for the limitation of the traffic lights at the junction of Peatties Rd and Charlestown Rd (A37). I have personally witnessed a number of near misses and crashes at that junction with cars speeding through the lights, increasing the stops at these lights will not only likely cause significant delays to Wimbledon Grove/Marshall St residents but also to those who use the by-pass daily for commuting. It is our only entry/exit point from the street and with 120 more movements we will be significantly impacted as residents given the current light cycles.

It is a regular occurrence that the light sensors are not triggered currently by larger vehicles missing the sensors and can result in waiting 2-3 cycles, this results in frustration and ultimately a safety risk where the vehicle enters Charlestown on a red light regardless, or a resident of the street has quite often had to get out of their car and activate the pedestrian traffic lights to stop the dual carriageway. Turning into the street would also be a risk, given it is very narrow, particularly when two cars are turning left/right respectively. A larger vehicle would be unable to enter the street in this condition from the South, therefore would block up the left turn lane and again result in near misses/crashes with vehicles moving 70km/h vs stationary backed up traffic. If entering from the North, the right turn lights are often slow/non existent and would result in traffic/vehicles turning across oncoming traffic unsafely in a hurry. Analysis would be required on the suitability of that junction in close proximity to non-worksite traffic and the safety impacts/feasibility.

As mentioned above it can sometimes take a few cycles to leave Peatties Rd (left of right) resulting in delays. We have no way to bypass or avoid, particularly at peak hours taking our children to school or commuting to work.

Has there been consideration to opening Marshall St to exiting residents only? This would relieve the pressure on the Peatties Rd junction and also in the event of evacuation required act as another exit point for the street (see bushfire risk).

We would like to request a traffic analysis be undertaken by a traffic engineer.


PEDESTRIAN SAFETY - Using Peatties Rd is our only option to get to the bus-stop and for our children to get to School (think Garden Suburb Primary, Cardiff High and Kotara Primary). At a time when we are trying to encourage sustainable living, we currently have no safe footpath to get them there, we currently have no choice but to walk on the road. With an additional 120 movements including heavy vehicle plant this poses a significant risk to all. I know I feel vulnerable going for a run out of the street via Peatties, with the traffic and blind corners/crest coming into Wimbledon Grove, this is exacerbated in Late Autumn/Winter with the low sun providing blinding conditions.

As part of the conditions of the proposal I would like to see a footpath and lighting (this would also discourage fly-tipping).

ROAD QUALITY  - Peatties Rd is a sealed but unguttered road, already not in great condition. With an expected minimum 3 years of increased traffic movements it will only continue to deteriorate and given that we are the 'forgotten' street between two councils (NCC and LMCC) - we would like to see an upgrade to the road including drainage to support the already loaded Tickhole Creek which becomes a waterfall across the road in significant weather. We would like to see that an upgrade to the current road facilities has been considered.

PARKING  - Often with these projects we see parking numbers for contractors/staff insufficient, this will result in parking down Wimbledon Grove/Marshall St, on a narrow road. There is already limited parking on the street, and safety will be compromised with moving vehicles / pedestrians (including children) not easily spotting each other.

We would like to see a condition in the proposal to ensure that parking is sufficient within the compound and that there will be no parking for any compound vehicles or staff on the public road network for any purpose, including any future contractors.

NOISE/VIBRATION/DUST - Clearly living closer the compound will result in a greater impact to residents - throughout the report it is not crystal clear on the proposed usage of the site. Stockpiles will have the greatest impact - can these not be placed closer to the construction area?

It mentions a number of receivers will be effected by noise, vibration and dust, how often will night works take place - a minimum of 3.5 years is a long time for OOHW exceedances. There is no mention of how it will be powered i.e noisy generators running day/night (goodbye local wildlife!!). We believe that a clearer understanding is required of the usage of the site and the impacts to all effected receivers (more than the consultation area particularly if work is to be undertaken in night hours). How will you monitor the vibration and noise impacts to residents?

Air quality assessments must be undertaken for the site. What are the expected materials you will be stockpiling and how will the air quality be monitored?

VISUAL IMPACT - We moved here because it feels like we are escaping the city when you drive in and see the sunset - we were considered very low impact for visual aesthetics, can we be assured that the mature trees on Peatties will remain, and the boundary fence will be out of sight? We would also like to understand how the site will be rehabilitated after use of the compound has ceased.

OPERATING HOURS - Throughout the report it is conflicting as to whether the site will be operational 24/7 - see wellbeing below. Can you provide more details as to the actual usage of the site.

WELLBEING - It should be recognised that these extended works including proposed 24/7 operations will have an effect on the wellbeing of all residents in Wimbledon Grove and Marshall St. There is already considerable worry that house prices will plummet as a result of the ongoing works.

BUSHFIRE SAFETY - An analysis is required to to whether the proposal increases the bushfire risk to property and life, this includes considering the single entry/exit point. Over the previous summers NCC and Rail NSW have left the long grasses along Peatties and within the Compound to be overgrown; this has resulted in residents contacting the Fire Service for advice and being on standby for evacuation should a fire start up. We would like to see in the proposal that bushfire safety has been considered and hot works are not to be undertaken on high fire risk days. All work sites must be smokefree, however this must be mandated along Peatties Rd.

I refer to the Document: Newcastle Inner City Bypass – Rankin Park to Jesmond Modification report: additional construction compounds May 2021.

The proposed Compound is located off Peatties Rd which is the only access to Wimbledon Grove which is a dead-end residential street. Peatties Rd is the only vehicular access to Wimbledon Grove. The Document fails to cover the issue of construction-related traffic using Peatties Road to access the proposed Compound. As a resident of Wimbledon Grove I am concerned about the following.
1. The volume of construction traffic will cause delays for residents accessing and egressing Wimbledon Grove.
2. The volume of construction traffic will cause congestion at the intersection of Peatties Rd and Charlestown Rd.
3. Heavy vehicles cannot negotiate the intersection of Peatties Rd and Charlestown Rd without using the entire width of Peatties Rd. This is an obvious hazard for residents and others.
4. The intersection of Peatties Rd and the entrance to the Compound will be subject to the same hazards as noted above.
5. There is an elevated probability that a mishap by a construction-related vehicle will totally block the only vehicular access to Wimbledon Grove for an extended period. Aside from the inconvenience, that would also obstruct access by emergency vehicles.

The Document notes that noise from the Compound will exceed limits. No information is provided as to how this would be managed.

The Document fails to cover services to the Compound such as power, water and sewerage. The Document therefore does not consider noise from generators.

The time to provide submissions is too short for many of those affected to provide a considered response. this is exacerbated by the COVID restrictions. Would you please provide an extension of time for submissions.

I am the owner of Newcastle Golf Practice Centre located on an area of the former waste disposal site off Astra St Shortland.
Im very concerned that if the area beside of my lease is used as a work site that traffic to the Driving Range will be impacted.
If traffic movements to a possible site compound were minimal and the access to the Driving Range was not impeded I would have no issue.
Can I please have clarification of exactly where the proposed site is planned to be and if so, what traffic movements would be expected.
Kind regards

Rick MacLean

Re: Development application - SS! -6888 Mod 1 Additional ancillary facilities

To Planning officer,

We have received a notification letter for Development application - SS! -6888 Mod 1 Additional ancillary facilities
. We understand that we have been provided a 14 day time frame to submit our submission to the development however we request an additional 21 days to submit our submission. The additional time will provide us the opportunity to sufficiently review the documentation and draft a suitable submission letter that outlines our concerns.

If you can please confirm whether this extension of time is acceptable via email that would be greatly appreciated.

I object to the project for the following reasons:
- The estimated 100 extra cars and 20 trucks per day at Peatties road will result in major negative consequences for the residents of Wimbledon Grove leaving and entering.

- There is no plan in the current project proposal for how the extra traffic will be managed at the traffic light which has been installed to cope with very low traffic.

- The traffic light has a sensor plate that is very small in size and it is on a bend in the road, this means that if a truck pulls up to the traffic light and is not on the sensor pad (since there is a bend in the road the trucks cannot be on the pad) the traffic light will not go green. As a result many many trucks and cars that are not on the pad run the red lights when leaving the street. This issue must be addressed before this project is approved or it can have fatal consequences.

- Safety for children - A proper footpath, with a curb, line markings and street lights must be installed to protect our residents and in particular school aged children from the extra traffic and large trucks entering and leaving the site. There are many young children that play on the street, ride their bikes and walk to school past the proposed site and this needs to be considered when approving this project. A footpath, line markings and street lights would address these problems.

- The residents use the street for recreational purposes. A temporary fence installed for 3+ years must be out of sight from the street level.

I would like to lodge my objections on the following grounds:

• The high volume of light and heavy vehicle traffic associated with the proposed compound site will endanger the lives of the adults and children who use Peattie’s Road every day to access their homes (by vehicle, bike and foot).

• Access to the proposed compound site is located on one side of the bend of Peattie’s Road at a point where there is limited visibility for the passing vehicles, pedestrians, and exiting trucks, greatly increasing the likelihood of serious harm to residents given that any incident would probably involve a heavy vehicle.

• The significant increase in traffic for residents who access their homes via the currently quiet Peattie’s Road would be a potential threat to their lives in the event of a major storm or fire, as people, trucks and service vehicles all attempt to access or leave the area via what is a very narrow road with a very tight bend.

• The proposed compound site will introduce unacceptable levels of noise and air pollution which will severely impact the amenity of residents who live in what is a quiet street in a very natural and unpolluted setting.

• The site of the proposed compound at 6 Peattie’s Road is not permitted/compatible with the E3 zoning which is an environmental management zone assessed to have significant ecological, scientific, cultural, or aesthetic value.

• The numerous vehicles associated with the compound site that will no doubt park along Peattie’s Road no matter what guarantees are given, will not only present a danger to other road users, but the associated litter, churned up nature strip, and mud tracks on the road will be an unsafe eyesore and encourage further littering and degradation of the area which is currently a beautiful natural setting.

• Transport for NSW did not engage or consult with the Peattie’s Road/Wimbledon Grove community in any way, and did not provide anywhere near enough time for residents to fully review the very detailed 468 page application/report and respond adequately.

Consultation for this project, specifically ancillary facilities in Peatties road, has been limited and until now all residents of the surrounding streets were not included. Whilst the traffic will not flow past our residence this project impacts the sole access to our home and introduces additional environmental hazards (noise, vibration etc). Consequently without additional study/planning/modification this proposal has the potential to significantly, and adversely, impact on our daily family life.
There has been no traffic analysis done - the existing junction between The Inner City Bypass and Peatties road is suitable for 2-3 vehicles at a time (due to the angle of approach, space, and timings of the lights) - not regular use by heavy vehicles. Without any modification to this junction, and traffic controls, time taken to access/exit Peatties road will increase significantly and unacceptably. I advocate for the completion of a traffic study, followed by improvements to the junction and traffic controls to ensure safe and timely access and egress for residents of the area.
How will pedestrian access and safety be enhanced given the increased traffic volume?
Furthermore visibility for traffic leaving the compound is poor due to the land contours, vegetation, and layout of the existing road. There is limited lighting of an evening/early morning.
Given that this is a semi rural residential area it seems appropriate that noise and vibration should be; monitored; maintained at acceptable levels for residential areas; and operating hours should be restricted.

I am writing to oppose the proposed location and operation of ancillary facilities associated with the State Significant Infrastructure application SSI-6888 Mod 1 Additional ancillary facilities.
I am a resident in Wimbledon Grove and have the following concerns associated with the project specifically the Peatties Rd Compound.
Consultation
Consultation with the community has been limited and the first information received at our address was the letter date June 2021. This letter was delivered during the submission period. Additional time and consultation with the Wimbledon Grove and Marshall St residents should have been provided to allow sufficient time to request additional information and respond adequately to the proposal. It is requested that the submission dates be extended so that a thorough review of the current documentation can be undertaken.
Traffic
The Modification Report does not include an assessment of the current traffic that utilises Peatties Rd and the potential impacts of an additional 120 vehicle movements per day. Instead the report provides information about the traffic and its impact on Charlestown Rd which is understandably negligible. The report does state the construction traffic movements is only expected to have a minor impact on Peatties Rd. This conclusion has been made on an assumption without a formal assessment being carried out. It would be expected that at the very least a traffic assessment be carried out and determine the impacts associated with the proposal.
The proposed additional traffic along Peatties Road is likely to impact the movement of pedestrians and of particular concern children who use this road as a throughfare to get to and from school (including by bike). This section of road has no pathways to allow safe passage for pedestrians and due the natural landform is often wet restricting passing across the grassed verges. The additional traffic would likely increase the chance of a near miss or collision with pedestrians trying to commute to school and/or work. To minimise these risks to our community, I would expect additional infrastructure to be constructed in the form of footpaths and lighting to allow pedestrians an unobstructed path to get from Wimbledon Grove to Charlestown Rd.
In addition, the current configuration at the intersection of Peatties Rd and Charlestown Rd needs to be considered in the assessment of the proposed increase in number and size of vehicles proposed to use the intersection. Currently the intersection limits the number of vehicles that can queue in the two lanes and when larger vehicles are trying to turn left they are often required to take over the two narrow lanes. This issue is not only restricted to outgoing traffic by in coming traffic as when traffic is queued any large incoming vehicle risk collision with stationary vehicles or are required to wait until the vehicles have moved.

Ecology
It is understood that a Biodiversity Development Assessment Report (BDAR) was produced for the Peatties Rd site. It is agreed that the majority of the vegetation on site is exotic with a number of native shrub and tree species till persisting. It must be acknowledged that the vegetation found on site provides foraging habitat for the Vulnerable (State Listing) Powerful Owl (Ninox strenua). This species is known to frequent the native vegetation around the proposed compound site with records of this species in the locality included on the NSW BioNet. The BDAR does not consider this species as the Plant Community Type (PCT) identified on site is not a considered a surrogate for this species. At the very least the indirect impacts (light, noise) of this proposal should be considered in the BDAR and mitigation measure included to limit the disturbance of this species in the locality. It should be noted that PCT selection is incorrect and the main species identified as a key diagnostic species has been misidentified and is considered a High threat Weed (Arundo donax) in accordance with the Biodiversity Assessment Method (2020).
I do support the utilisation of this area due to the extensive modification of the landscape and dominance of exotic species.
The Modification Report does note the site will be rehabilitated, although no rehabilitation plan has been provided. Considering some of the land is zoned Environmental Management (E3) and it is adjacent to Alluvial Tall Moist Forest it is recommended that rehabilitation consider the re-establishment of native vegetation to limit the reestablishment of exotic species in particular High Threat Weeds.
I hope you consider the concerns I have raised and hope that they can be addressed during the application review process.

NICB Rankin Park to Jesmond Bypass

SSI-688* Mod 1 Additional ancillary facilities - Peatties Road Main Construction Compound


To whom it may concern,

Please consider this letter to be a joint response from residents of Wimbledon Grove and Marshall St, Garden Suburb. A hard copy of this letter, with a signatures from residents, will be mailed to the Department of Planning, Industry and Environment.

Whilst we understand and accept the importance of this project, we have concerns that we would like to put forward for consideration to the planning committee prior to final approval being granted.

CONSULTATION

The initial consultation in Nov 2020 was very limited and failed to address that Wimbledon Grove in LMCC would be affected. The modification was submitted in May 2021, however flyers to Wimbledon Grove residents were not received till the start of the exhibition, 16 Jun 2021, with only two weeks for residents to submit a response. Our first request would be for an extension till 16 July 2021 to the exhibition in light of the limited consultation coupled with COVID restrictions and difficulty for a number of our residents in submitting points-of-concern or objections through the planning portal due to lack of technology.

TRAFFIC MANAGEMENT

From reading the Modification Report (dated May 2021), it is obvious to us that there has been very limited consideration of the impacts of the proposal to the residents directly affected on Wimbledon Grove and Marshall Street (house numbers 68, 70, 72, 80 and 80A).

The document states:

“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 minor impact.”

We believe this assessment is inadequate and is dismissive of key considerations, being:

No consideration has been made towards limitations of the traffic lights at the junction of Peatties Rd and Charlestown Rd (A37). The current proposal is likely to create significant delays, not only to Wimbledon Grove and Marshall Street residents, but also to Charlestown Road traffic users.
The mentioned traffic light is the only means of access to Wimbledon Grove and Marshall Street. There are no other options. Impacts to this intersection will have significant impacts to residents.

A more detailed and site-specific analysis of these impacts are required. If the traffic and associated delays are not properly considered, there is no way of bypassing or avoiding the intersection, and as such, residents and road-workers alike will be stuck in long queues, particularly at peak periods as residents are leaving the street to go to work and/or take their children to school. With current traffic in the mornings residents can require up to two traffic signal cycles before exiting Peatties Road.

The analysis should also consider whether the vehicles and trucks accessing the compound have the ability to appropriately be situated at the traffic lights in order to prompt the in-road sensors. It is a regular occurrence that the light sensors are not triggered by larger vehicles as they miss the in-road sensors. When this occurs, it can again be 2-3 light cycles before the situation is resolved. It is often the case where a resident of the street has had to get out of their car and activate the pedestrian traffic lights to stop the dual carriageway in order to unblock the intersection. On a number of occasions, frustrated truck drivers unaware of the issue will actually give up and illegally turn out onto Charlestown Road on a red light.

Truck turning at the Peatties/Charlestown Road intersection requires more analysis, including truck turning drawings. The intersection out of Peatties Rd consists of three narrow lanes (two lanes out, one lane in), and large vehicles cannot enter the street easily when entering from the south. If cars are queued to turn right from Peatties Road, it is unlikely that large vehicles will be able to turn in and will block the Charlestown Road traffic to some degree. Similarly, the queuing capacity at the light from Lookout Road into Peatties Road does not allow much queuing before it begins to block southbound traffic on Lookout Road.

We anticipate that if adequate due diligence was undertaken, rather than basing on standard assumptions, then a clear picture of the likely unacceptable impacts would emerge. The current application does not consider this in any realistic context and cannot be considered to have provided accurate and truely reflective data for assessment.

PEDESTRIAN SAFETY

Throughout the proposal it is clear that the interaction of heavy plant vehicles and increased traffic with pedestrians has not been considered fully. Using Peatties Rd is the only direct route to get to the bus-stop on Charlestown Road as well as for our children to walk and use their bikes to get to a number of schools; not exclusive to Garden Suburb Public School, Cardiff High School, Kotara South Public School and St James’ Primary School. It is an unsealed bitumen road, with no road markings and no footpath - increasing the traffic on this road will increase the risk significantly for any pedestrians and cyclists currently having no choice but to be on the road.

With 24/7 operations, lighting should also be considered and this would have a side benefit of discouraging fly-tipping on council property which happens on a fairly regular basis.

ROAD QUALITY

Peatties Rd is a sealed but unguttered road, already not in great condition. With an expected minimum three years of increased traffic movements it will only continue to deteriorate. We would like to see an upgrade to the current road facilities including drainage to support the already loaded Tickhole Creek which becomes a waterfall across the road in significant weather.

PARKING

Often with these projects we see parking numbers for contractors and staff insufficient within the compound, this will result in parking down Peatties Rd, Wimbledon Grove and on Marshall St further compounding pedestrian safety matters and road quality issues mentioned above. There is already limited parking on the street, and safety will be compromised with moving vehicles and pedestrians (including children often playing) not easily spotting each other.

We would like to see a very clear condition in the proposal to ensure that parking is sufficient within the compound and that there will be no parking for any compound vehicles or staff on the public road network for any purpose, this should also be made into a contractural obligation for future contractors.

ACOUSTIC IMPACTS

Overnight activities should not be permitted, these would have significant impact on a high number of residents. The cumulative effects of having two compounds close together with effected residents in between has not been sufficiently analysed within the proposal. Both the duration and intensity of works needs to be considered fully.

Clearer appreciation of the acoustic impacts during the night period is needed. As an example, are on-site generators required to power appliances on the compound(s) throughout the day and night (ie. boundary/building security systems and flood lighting)?




ENVIRONMENTAL IMPACT

Many residents moved here because it feels like we are escaping the city when you drive in and see the sunset - we were considered very low impact for visual aesthetics, can we be assured that the mature trees on Peatties will remain, and the boundary fence will be out of sight? We would also like to understand how the site will be rehabilitated after use of the compound has ceased.

In addition, how will noxious weeds (such as Giant Parramatta grass which is already located within the proposed compound area) be contained in and around the compound. The NSW WeedWise website (weeds.dpi.nsw.gov.au) states that Giant Parramatta grass can ‘…produce a large amount of seed that is dispersed by water, wind and machinery…’ and ‘…plants are capable of producing 85,000 seeds per square meter’.

Air quality assessments must be undertaken for the proposed stockpiles. What are the expected materials you will be stockpiling and how will the air quality be monitored?

WELLBEING

It should be recognised that these extended works including proposed 24/7 operations will have an effect on the wellbeing of all residents in Wimbledon Grove and Marshall St. There is already considerable concern amongst residents that house prices will be significantly impacted as a result of the ongoing works.

BUSHFIRE SAFETY

An analysis is required as to whether the proposal increases the bushfire risk to property and life, this includes considering the single entry/exit point. Over the previous summers NCC and Rail NSW have left the long grasses along Peatties and within the Compound to be overgrown; this has resulted in residents contacting the Fire Service for advice and being on standby for evacuation should a fire start up. We would like to see in the proposal that bushfire safety has been considered and hot works are not to be undertaken on high fire risk days. All work sites must be smokefree, however, this must also be mandated along Peatties Rd.






Kind Regards,

The Peatties Road Action Group
(formed by residents of Wimbledon Grove and Marshall Street)

Concerns over proposal to use Wimbledon Grove as access to storage site for materials for new road development.
Concerns raised due to lack of community contact/ information, dangers surrounding increased traffic, lack of pathway for pedestrians including many children of school age on bikes, scooters and on foot heading to school, increased traffic affecting those travelling to work, a whole range of issues that we have not been consulted about.

I am extremely concerned with the planning of the Peatties Road access to be used for the bypass upgrade.

I have concerns for safety of children walking to and from school and also that the infrastructure around that area is not fit for everyday purpose let alone what is proposed.

I am writing with regard to State Significant application SSI-6888 Mod 1 for modifications to be approved Newcastle Inner City Bypass – Rankin Park to Jesmond project.

Thank you for providing Council with an opportunity to respond to this application. It is acknowledged one of the proposed compounds is located in the Lake Macquarie City Council Local Government Area – 10-12 Main Road, Cardiff Heights and 60 Marshall Street, New Lambton Heights (Cardiff Road compound). This response provides comments only with respect to this compound.

Council remains supportive of the proposal, however provide the following comments to be considered in the assessment of the modification.

Of key importance is to ensure impacted residents (both adjacent to the compound, and along haulage routes in particular those residents in Marshall Street) are informed of the scheduled activities. This has been recommended in the modification report.

Traffic impact
Impacts of heavy vehicle access to/from Cardiff Road/Main Road should be considered during peak times.

Following the completion of works and use of the site as a compound, the road shall be returned to an appropriate state in accordance with Council requirements. Given the duration of the construction phase, repairs to the local road network shall also be undertaken as required.

Noise impact
It is acknowledged the project proposes noise exceedances during site preparation activities, and decommissioning of the site at the end of the project. Consideration should be given to ameliorative measures to mitigate or minimise the extent of exceedances for these works. Reference is made to mitigation measures in the report, although no measures are outlined.

It is also acknowledged the acoustic report submitted predicts noise exceedances over the 30 month operational period of the project. Based upon the report, this is as result of combined sound power levels of 114dBA for materials handling and 119dBA for stockpiling. These extended exceedances are of concern, and Council request consideration be given to ameliorative measures to mitigate or minimise the extent of exceedances for these works. Reference is made to mitigation measures in the report, although no measures are outlined.

Conclusion:
Ordinarily the extent of predicted noise and vibration exceedance combined with the lengthy timeframe of activities outlined in this assessment would lead ERC to recommend that the site is unsuitable for the proposed use.

Environmental impact
As recommended in the modification report, environmental management measures should be implemented to mitigate impacts of stockpiles on site (i.e. erosion and sediment control, dust mitigation, air quality impacts, etc).

Following the completion of works and use of the site as a compound, the site should be returned to an appropriate state.

If you require any further information, and have any questions, please get in touch.


Email sent to Sam Kelly on Saturday 3 July outlining Council's support for proposal, however requesting consideration be given to traffic, noise and environmental impact.

This construction compound is going to completely ruin a semi rural street that remains relatively untouched. This is a place where children safely play in the street and Bush and are free to roam with friends and neighbours. Most of the children in the street ride or walk to their local primary and high school. Their safety will be severely compromised if this is placed at the entrance of their street. I urge you to take a look at the area and meet the community before deciding to put this construction compound here.

am emailing you my objection to the Proposed Modifications of the NEWCASTLE INNER CITY BYPASS - RANKIN PARK TO JESMOND that have been put to you for approval.

These modifications are requesting the construction compounds be relocated literally kilometres away from the Bypass project's site because the John Hunter Hospital expansion project is "likely" to coincide with the Bypass project's road building.

The project is asking you to approve the Proposed Modification below

Removal of ‘compliance monitoring and reporting program’ conditions and replacement with standard ‘Notification of commencement’ conditions.

With Below as Justification

This change is requested following consultation
with DPIE and aims to align with recent approvals
including:
• Coffs Harbour Bypass (SSI 7666)
• Western Harbour Tunnel & Warringah Freeway
Upgrade (SSI 8863)
• Sydney Gateway Project (SSI 9737).
Following the removal of these conditions,
compliance, monitoring and reporting on the project
would be managed via the independent auditing
program prepared in accordance with Conditions
A34 - A36.

The above unexplained "Justification" is the key reason why a quiet rural area and its residents are about to be disturbed for 3.5 years.


Two of the proposed locations of Peatties Road and Cardiff Road are completely unsuitable for their stated use.

The justification needs to be explained to every person which has submitted an online submission against the proposed project modifications.

Because of the vagueness of the above justification on its own an extension of submission must be granted and the locations reconsidered!