The Artarmon Progress Association objects to the Beaches Link project until the following concerns, as detailed in the attached document, are addressed:
- Significant increases in traffic through residential and industrial areas of Artarmon
- Environmental concerns, including the reduction of groundwater levels under Artarmon Reserve and Oval
- Cycling and walking impacts on residents.

Paris St Balgowlah is our treasured home and community. The vast majority of us have been residents of Paris St for decades which is unusual these days. The long-term residency is testament to the strong sense of connection to community and place. Paris St is a cul-de-sac which ends on Balgowlah Golf Course which is viewed by all as an extension of our street, an important area for walking dogs, playing golf, doing exercise, playing and socialising. We consider the Balgowlah Golf Course and Burnt Bridge Creek corridor to be the reason we are a close community and keep living here, especially contributing to our wellbeing during the Covid-19 pandemic and lockdown periods.
We believe the expensive Beaches Link Tunnel (BLT) project revealed in the recently released EIS will come at a huge cost to our community with the resultant loss of lifestyle and environment and 5-7 years of construction horror. All this loss will be for limited gain as the BLT will not solve the traffic issues for the northern beaches and lower north shore

Thank you for the opportunity to make a submission on the Beaches Link EIS.
I make the following objections in relation to the EIS.
Increased traffic in Artarmon
The EIS highlights increased traffic demand and resultant increased delays at intersections in the Gore Hill Freeway and Artarmon Area.
I am concerned this will result in increased traffic through Artarmon local streets which impacts the amenity for local residents and for visitors using local services, schools, ovals and other facilities. There is already a lot of traffic on Reserve, Hampden and interconnecting roads without further traffic from the Beaches and Western Harbour tunnels seeking alternative routes to the Pacific Highway, Mowbray Road and other major roads.
I request a condition be included requiring appropriate measures to be taken to mitigate the likely impact on local traffic in the Artarmon area.

Vegetation and bio diversity
Artarmon Park
The Gore Hill Freeway connection works will see the permanent loss of dense vegetation from a section of Artarmon Park. Also the construction support sites will occupy many areas that have been revegetated following previous freeway and tunnel works
These green bands provide important habitat connectivity. While the EIS recognises the importance of open space, it is important that wildlife corridors and refuges for the birds, reptiles, insects and other animals that can be found in urban bushland areas are maintained and restored.
I request a condition be included requiring dense revegetation of a section of Artarmon Park to provide habitat connectivity.

Flat Rock Gully
I object to the use of part of the Flat Rock Gully bushland area as a construction site and the loss of over 20 years effort of revegetation to a significant portion of the site. We are already losing a lot of urban bushland and it takes many years for suitable wildlife habitat and biodiverse communities to re-establish. Regardless of previous disturbance to the area, removal of vegetation in this area would be a significant setback as well as loss of connectivity to adjoining bushland spaces. This will not be mitigated by offsets by planting in other localities.
I am also concerned that the Flat Rock Gully site may be left as open space or buildings left on site post construction.
I request that an alternative site be sought for the Flat Rock Gully construction site.
Should the area be used as a construction site, I request a condition requiring revegetation, or contribution to revegetation, to re-establish dense bushland to provide habit and bushland connectivity.

Groundwater
The EIS identifies significant draw down of ground water both during construction and during the operational phase. I am concerned about the long term impact on trees and eco systems, ground settlement and potential for contaminated plumes from contaminated sites.
I request that ground water improvement strategies be developed to mitigate the impact of ground water draw down in the longer term.

I object to the Beaches Link and Gore Hill Freeway connection as I believe the environmental costs are too high. I would prefer greener alternatives such as an enhanced mass transit system. The B1 bus line has shown this can work well. I would like to see the EIS re-opened for a full public consultation and also a Phase 2 Contamination Assessment. Thanks.

I am very concerned about the impact on our natural environment. Based on what I've seen, I can't imagine that much of our beloved Tunks Park and associated bushland and its wildlife will be able to withstand the planned construction.

Overall, I just feel the community seems to have so little power to influence the outcome. The process just to write a submission here is sufficiently challenging that most people just won't be bothered. In fact, while I feel strongly about this I am myself too busy to write a well structured and powerful submission. There is such an imbalance in the decision-making process. At the very least, I request the following: The release of a strong and unbiased business case which includes the actual benefits of having a tunnel (as opposed to better public transport options).

I am a student at Cammeraygal, which is located only 600m from the proposed unfiltered stack. I am a regular user of St Leonards park with my school PE program, 3 outdoor basketball courts of the lower north shore, Tunks Park, Flat Rock Gully Reserve, and Northbridge Baths. Additionally, I now walk to school becuase the 343 bus route has been discontinued, leavign me to walk 2km each way to school and back, or approx 1 hr walking outdoors per day. In short, I am highly affected by the proposed Beaches Link and Gore Hill Freeway upgrade and the impact their 8 yrs of construction and further ongoing usage will have on my community.

Specifically, I object to:

1. The toxic contaminants such as heavy metals and asbestos that have been found in middle harbour, Flat Rock Gully, and under Tunks Park. My strong preference is to not disturb the sediment and waste. The current plan for this project does not have adequate EIS testing, not reported to the public, and there has already been the metro tunnel which declined to pursue the same tunnel design due to the high contamination risks to Sydney
Harbour. Please investigate another crossing option given the known contaminants of Middle
Harbour and the effect on Northbridge waterways and the destruction of Flat Rock nature reserve and the playgrounds and sports fields. The EPA needs to be formally notified, as required under the Contaminated Lands Act, of the possibility of contaminated land (at Flat Rock Reserve and surrounds) contaminating neighbouring land ie North Sydney Council - Tunks Park and Middle Harbour. Flat Rock Reserve looked after us during COVID, it is time for us to look after Flat Rock Reserve.

2. The exhaust stack MUST be filtered. There are at least 17 schools within a 2km radius of the proposed stack. The argument of dispersion does not change the need for filtration. We live in a world-class city, this means we should have world-class tunnels - which by definition include filtration (see Japan and Norway). Additionally, Real time/ Alert Style Air Quality Monitors at all the schools within a 5km radius should be included in the budget and build of this project. There are numerous parks and child care centres as well. This project is putting all their health at risk too.

3. Don't subject today's kids health to some antiquated view of traffic patterns, when the government should be promoting green solutions such as mass public transport, bike paths, fuel-efficient cars, and improved (not downsized) bus routes. Especially after COVID where so many parents are working from home, there doesn't seem to be a need, or "business case" for the Beaches link and Freeway connection. Can you send people to the schools to explain why we're not encouraging greener travel solutions? It seems like a very short-term view of the community.

4. I'm scared for my home. Already the noise from the Warringah Freeway means that we have to have double-glazed windows so my sister and I can sleep through the night. We will need you to further protect our home from the sound, air pollution and vibration issues along Brook Street (near Merremburn Ave) that will be a result of the construction period and the ongoing tunnel traffic thereafter. If we need to sell our home, will the government compensate us for the lost increase in value to help my parents buy a new home somewhere else where property values have increased more than ours due to this neighbourhood-destroying project?

How will I be able to finish growing up in this neighbourhood? I won't be able to sleep, walk to school, take a bus to school (because you've already removed that), play sports at school, enjoy the Reserve and its cycle paths on the weekend, or simply, breathe. And you expect me to thrive in my teens during all this? Study with the pounding of 900 trucks per day passing by? HSC?

This project seems incredibly unfair. Let the kids vote. Bring your people to all the schools in the circled area and ask them to vote now. Make sure you provide public transport as an alternative - currently you haven't included that solution in your plans. And saving our nature areas, because that's Australian life. We don't need to go to the beaches when we have beautiful parks and recreation right here in our community.

Thank you for reading from a student's perspective. I hope you make green choices for the sustainability of our future.

Attached is the submission of the Seaforth Public School Parents & Citizens Association. We write to express concerns and objections to specific aspects of the proposed Beaches Link Tunnel as they impact the school community.