To Whom It May Concern,

I am writing as a concerned parent of a child enrolled at Nought to Five Early Childhood Centre, a not-for-profit, community based childcare facility located next to the proposed Woolworth’s Customer Fulfilment Centre and Warehouse in Macquarie Park.

While I understand the need for development and economic activity, I have concerns about the potential impacts this particular proposal may have on the local environment — especially for young children in our community and object to this proposed development.

My key concerns are as follows:
1. Traffic and Safety
The development is expected to bring a significant increase in heavy vehicle and delivery truck movements. This raises concerns about road safety, particularly during peak drop-off and pick-up times when families and young children are present.

2. Air and Noise Quality
Increased vehicle activity and industrial operations may affect local air quality and introduce persistent noise. These environmental changes could impact children’s outdoor play, rest, and learning experiences.

3. Suitability for the Local Area
The proposed facility is located in a precinct that includes homes, schools, and childcare centres. A large-scale industrial warehouse may not align with the character and needs of a family-oriented neighbourhood.

4. Impact on Early Childhood Development
Children thrive in calm, safe, and healthy environments. The potential disruptions from this development could affect their wellbeing and the ability of educators to provide high-quality care and learning.

5. Uncertainty Around Access Routes
With multiple access routes still under consideration — including options that may direct trucks near the childcare centre — the full impact on traffic and safety remains unclear.

I respectfully ask that these concerns be carefully considered in the assessment of this proposal. Our community values a safe and nurturing environment for children, and it’s important that future developments reflect and support those values.

Sincerely,
Jeremy Ch
Parent at Nought to Five Early Childhood Centre

My first comments relate to the whole area and the increased traffic that will come about from both the school and the new Bunnings at the intersection of Allambie & Rodborough roads. Should the proposed roundabout at Aquatic Dr & Allambie Rd, be considered in conjunction with the intersections at Allambie & Rodborough Rds, Allambie & Warringah Rds & finally Rodborogh & Warringah Rds to develop an integrated solution that can manage the increased traffic volumes? It seems that a piecemeal approach to the management of traffic flows will lead to poor outcomes. One such outcome will be the increased utilisation of the "rat run" through Mortain Av, Kurrabi Rd, Wyarama St & Government Rd - the first 3 of those have no footpaths which forces pedestrians to walk on the road. Increased traffic has the potential to increse the risk of pedestrian/vehicle accidents.

My second comment relates to safe pedestrian crossing locations for students at the new Forest High School. The update to the roundabout at Aquatic drive does not provide information on safe cross locations for students. Along Allambie Road in that area, there are only two locations where students will be able to cross Allambie road safely at lights; they are at the intersection of Allambie Rd & Mortain Ave, approximately 375m away from the school and at the intersection of Allambie & Warringah Rds, some 385m away from the school. There is also the small pedestrian island located at the intersection of Allambie Rd & Sunlea Place. Are these to be the only crossing options for children walking to school?

I am in support of this project and those of the school relocation and bunnings - but want to ensure that traffic / pedestrian management in the local area has been well considered to ensure safety and local community quality of life is protected.

Submission attached.

Submission attached.

I have been a Central Coast resident my whole life and a tax and rate payer who absolutely does not support this project.

I work as an ecologist on the Central Coast, Newcastle and NSW area and I am versed in the environmental significance of the proposed site. I have been apart of small, large and state significant projects and have surveyed, documented and reported on environmental matters associated to proposed and approved developments.

I have reported on BDARs, SBDARs, EARs, Arborist reporting, BTAs and Environmental Management Plans. I have been involved in nest box installations and monitoring and riparian assessments. I am supportive of development where it is environmentally justifiable. This proposal is not justifiable and will have consequences for the biodiversity of the region.

I spent a lot of time in the proposed site and neighbouring bushland while I was studying Conservation and Ecosystem Management, due to it being known for it's rich biodiversity. I have continued to visit that site as a reference point to examine vulnerable, threatened and endangered species, as well as observing and enjoying plant communities that only exist in this area.

If this proposal goes ahead, it would be an environmental disaster for the area and a loss of green space.

There is an array of threatened, endangered and critically endangered flora species that I have had the privilege to observe on this site. I have personally observed Angophora inopina, Genoplesium insigne and Corunastylis branwhiteorum. I make note that the above orchids weren't observed during the BDAR survey period. But I ask you to have an orchid expert observe the property for a thorough orchid assessment. Boris Branwhite would be suggested.

I would contest some of the Flora Transects as per the BDAR mapping. Flora transects should occur at 5m gaps and the mapping supplied in the BDAR, shows much larger gaps. As someone who is experienced in orchid surveys, I am aware of the challenges finding the, however my observation is that the transect mapping of the BDAR is to wide. Again, I would suggest Boris Branwhite is approached or an organisation that is experienced in terrestrial orchids.

I have seen White-bellied Sea Eagles flying over the site, I have seen a Squirrel Glider, Powerful Owl and Masked Owl during a nocturnal survey of the site and heard Wallum froglet. I have seen and observed a large amount of non threatened species, including birds, mammals, reptiles and amphibians which all call this bushland home.

I have been involved in many environmental surveys very close a to the site and have personally observed and documented species that have the potential to occur within the plant communities (PCTs) of the proposed site. Glossy-black Cockatoos, Melaleuca Biconvexa, Callistemon linearifolius, Acacia bynoeana, Thelymitra adorata, Giant Dragonfly, Eastern Pygmy-Possum and Regent Honeyeaters. These are a small number of species that have the high potential to live and utilise the proposed site. The site forms part of a major wildlife corridor and sanctuary for noted threatened species and unoted common species. If the corridor is destroyed the negative effects will be extremely detrimental to the biodiversity of the region.

There have been 2 major illegal clearings that have recently taken place in the very close vicinity of the proposed site. Both are under investigation and the true environmental impact and clearing footprint is yet to be determined. This may never be fully determined, but the extent of clearing is thought to of wiped out entire threatened and endangered communities only found within this area, notably Angophora inopina. As per the BDAR prepared by MJD Environmental, thier statement that there is to be no significant impact to the Angophora inopina by the development needs to be reassessed. Given the large scale recent illegal clearing of 2 sites - one at Doyalson and one at San Remo (under investigation) this statement can be contested and should be recalculated due to the large scale loss of the species.
These 2 major cases need to be accounted for within the feasibility of the proposed project.

Species have been popping up in residential areas that have previously not been observed or documented on BioNet for the area I live in. This is referenced to a large Powerful owl observed by myself personally in a residential suburb the week of a major illegal clearing that took place between Doyalson and San Remo only a few months ago. From an ecologists perspective, this could be highly regarded as being a displaced species due to large habitat loss due to illegal clearing, urbanisation and large scale development of the surrounding area.

The proposed site has some of the last remaining habitat trees used for breeding and housing threatened, endangered, critically endangered and common species east of the freeway. Some of these habitat trees take upwards of 100 years to form suitable hollows for large fauna species like the Powerful Owl, Masked Owl, Glossy-black Cockatoos and threatened Glider species.

Knowing the density of the bushland, reading the reports and having the knowledge as someone who has surveyed and reported numerous Bush Fire Threat Assessments (BTAs) and Arborist impact assessments inclusive of Asset Protection Zones (APZs). It is known that a large amount of clearing will take place for these reasons. This is a non feasible site, which is rich in the above noted biodiversity, which should not be cleared to accommodate the proposed development. The loss of habitat and species is not justiable.

Aside from the irreversible and environmental impacts the proposal will have on the site. There are serious issues that need to be noted below:

The congestion of the Pacific Highway is already at major capacity, the sound for surrounding homes and businesses and the safety of pedestrians, including the children who would be using the site and fauna roadkills increasing in the area due to land and habitat loss.

There are areas within the Central Coast that are more suitable for the proposed development and I ask that these are considered just like the environmental impact is considered as noted above.

There are many areas zoned for development within the close vicinity that have already predominately been cleared due to previous farming, and have a much smaller environmental impact over the proposed site. These sites are largely dominated by exotic and noxious weeds and are suited for development and progress of the region which I am all for. Remnant farmland within Warnervale, Wadalba is better suited. The proposed site absolutely is not. There is little green spaces east of the freeway left for people to enjoy and fauna and flora to flourish in.

The site is seen as environmentally significant to the area and would be welcomed by the community to keep it this way. There are more suitable and already largely cleared lands where the proposed is best suited and I ask that these are explored.

Schools are a vital part of our community which is needed for our growing population. Acknowledging this, I ask that the options of suitable sites are broadened and that the local communities wishes to have green space's kept for fauna and flora is also acknowledged.