I strongly support the development proposal by Bindaree Beef which will greatly improve the adverse environmental impacts of smell and effluent disposal which have been issues of varying severity in the past. I am a neighbor of the plant and associated cattle paddocks.

I really love Sydney Opera House so I want to contribute my opinion and take part in any activity regarding it especially for the creating idea.

We attach a submission from our neighbour who has done much research on this on our behalf and we totally agree with his opinion and voice our agreement to his proposals.

Yours sincelrely,
Victoria & Tony Downing

I live in the residential apartment building at 8 Hickson Road, The Rocks - effectively within Campbell's Cove - and opposite the area of the proposed `public domain improvements and associated works ... including ... A new waterfront leisure area and amphitheatre for public events; ... circulation and truck access to the new Overseas Passenger Terminal wharf extension ...' .

Six days ago, John McInerney, Chair of The Rocks Resident Action Group (RAG), forwarded me information about SSD 15_7426 - `Foreshore and Public Domain Improvements, Campbell's Cove'. This included information that it had been on exhibition since 8 February and that the exhibition period would conclude on 10 March 2017 (i.e. today). Despite the fact that we live in Campbell's Cove, to the best of my knowledge, no one in our residential building has received any written notification of this development application.

Given the significance of the application for our amenity and the Department's usual practice of informing affected residents, this is a denial both of our right to be heard and of the time needed to read, consider and adequately respond to the many pages of material provided. People who might otherwise have lodged submissions have not done so, because like us, they have not been informed about what is proposed for the area across the street from their homes. We expect better of the Department and of the Government, whom we expect to act to enforce our rights.

Specific concerns

While the concept of `foreshore and public domain improvements' sounds attractive, the proposals incorporated in SSD 15_7426 `Foreshore and Public Domain Improvements, Campbell's Cove' will potentially have negative impacts on the amenity and quiet enjoyment of my home. I am concerned about the negative impact of the project's proposed construction phase and also of the operational phase in relation to the potentially increased noise suggested by the use of the Cove as a `new waterfront leisure area and amphitheatre for public events'.

Construction phase and traffic impact

The applicant's consultant, Urbis, seems to have either failed to review its own submission prior to lodging it, or taken a rather cavalier attitude towards the expectation that applications need to be complete and in final form before being lodged. At least two reports - the Traffic Impact Assessment Report and the Preliminary Construction Management Plan, are in DRAFT form and contain gaps awaiting completion.

While Urbis and its consultants seem happy to draw conclusions supporting the application, they frequently do so prior to gathering the data essential to forming any conclusion. Thus, in the DRAFT `Assessment of Traffic, Transport and Construction Implications' (pp. 10, 14-15) we read such gems as:

`The quantity of trucks entering and exiting the site is estimated at ...'

`.... The envisaged movement of construction vehicles will be ? per day with more during any concrete pour and these vehicles will range between ? and ? with ? being used to remove excavated material.'

Figure 5 informs us that the:

`envisaged frequency [of truck movements] is ?-? per day with more during concrete pours'

Not only that,

`The largest truck to be utilised will be a ??'

From this failure to research or provide any factual data come the conclusion (p. 18) that

`The arrangements and process for construction activity will not have any adverse implications'.

Instead of actually assessing environmental impact, Urbis' consultant town planners hide the facts behind such statements as this (see Section 6.15, page 41 of the EIS):

`The envisaged movement of construction vehicles will be X per day with more during any concrete pour and these vehicles will range between X and X with X being used to remove excavated materials'.

This is part of the `fill-in supportive evidence' methodology, which Urbis uses to conclude:

`It has been demonstrated that the proposed works will result in minimal environmental impacts, all of which can be managed or mitigated appropriately as outlined in this report.' (see EIS, p.47)

While this could equally be part of a script for Yes, Minister, it actually presents itself as material worthy of being taken seriously and being publicly displayed. The consultant has clearly not obtained data, valid or otherwise, on the size, number or frequency of truck movements to or from the proposed development site. The consultant is either unaware of the expectation that conclusions be supported by objective data or chooses to ignore this. This failure to provide evidence and willingness to form conclusions without relevant data, undermines the credibility of all the documentation the applicant provides.

Construction Hours

I cannot find any reference to proposed construction hours within the EIS but have managed to piece together a picture of what is proposed from other sources.

SJA Project Management has supplied a DRAFT Environmental & Construction Management Plan (Appendix K) proposes construction working hours between 7.00am and 5.30pm Monday to Friday and between 7.00am and 5.00pm Saturday with no work on Sundays and public holidays.

The DRAFT report titled Assessment of Traffic, Transport and Construction Implications alludes to a 34 week construction period and the construction working hours as in SJA's DRAFT Environmental & Construction Management Plan.

This means that, for six days a week, over an eight month period, we would be constantly bombarded by noise generated by construction work, the delivery and unloading of building materials, waste material removal and the presence of trucks and workers waiting for job start.

Should the application be approved, working hours for construction-related activities should be restricted to 9 am to 5 pm Monday to Friday and 9 am to 1 pm on Saturdays. There should be no work allowed on Sundays or public holidays. The prohibition of work outside these hours should include the prohibition of deliveries to the site, including the delivery of heavy machinery; collection of waste and materials from the site; and the standing and waiting of workers and vehicles on Hickson Road.

Operational Phase

The operation of the Overseas Passenger Terminal (OPT) already adversely affects residents in our building at 8 Hickson Rd and the local area as a whole. Servicing what has increased from approximately 22 ships / year in 2002 to several hundred ships / year now has placed a huge burden on the local road network through The Rocks, Millers Point and Walsh Bay and is seriously undermining the area's prized heritage character.

Apart from the fact of the large number of delivery vehicles servicing cruise ships (5-10 depending on the size of the ship), is the noise they make and in particular the loud and annoying `beeping' sound they make when they wake us while reversing in the early hours of the morning.

The EIS for this SSD (Section 4.2, page 25), indicates that this existing problem would be worsened by the Port Authority (PANSW):

`It is PANSW's request that access be provided through the proposed new plaza area to the wharf apron extension. These operations typically occur early morning (5-9am) and are closely monitored and managed for safety.'

The applicant's proposed relocation of the truck turn-around area to the proposed open plaza to the north of the OPT has the very real potential to increase the noise impact of these trucks on the residents of 8 Hickson Road particularly in the early hours of the morning.

Any approvals granted in relation to this current SSD application need to be accompanied by the requirement that truck movement and noise in relation to the OPT be strictly controlled. This should include management to ensure that all trucks accessing the OPT comply with RMA noise minimisation requirements and require the Ports Authority to formulate a suitable, neighbour friendly Code of Practice. If this cannot be achieved, then no early morning deliveries should be allowed.

We have been waiting several years now for the Port Authority to deliver on its promise of Code of Practice for the OPT. I am totally opposed to any further licence being given to it to operate with no consideration of the impact of its activities on local residents.

PA systems and speakers within Light Poles

On p. 23, Section 3.9, Furniture & Fixtures, of the EIS we read:

`Lighting, PA systems and speakers will be integrated into the light poles, which will be unique to the precinct.'

The PA systems and speakers of a number of cruise ships already `invade' our peace and quiet n the early hours of the morning (as early as 5am) and disturb people's enjoyment of the local area generally throughout the day. Any PA system and speakers installed within Campbell's Cove should only be used for emergency purposes and for crowd control during occasional major public events, such as New Year's Eve and Vivid. They should used sparingly and not be used on a daily or even a weekly basis. Certainly, any such system should not be used to broadcast music or in conjunction with entertainment events so close to a residential building.

Public Domain and Public Access

Section 6.2 of the EIS states:

` The new waterfront promenade and public plaza will create the largest public gathering space in the Rocks Precinct with a unique cove setting for everyday leisure, performing arts, festival of Sydney, Vivid, Sydney Biennale, food festivals, music performances, open air cinema and theatre.'

While the concept is attractive, the reality is that this has the potential to destroy my right to the quiet enjoyment of my home. At present, we can enjoy New Year's Eve and Vivid in our local area because they do not generate unacceptable noise. I am concerned that what is proposed implies an acceptance of amplified music, announcements, performances, cinema as well as noise generated by audiences within open space.

The EIS fails to assess the impact on residents of 8 Hickson Rd and guests at the Park Hyatt (also in Campbell's Cove) of the use of Campbell's Cove for any form of entertainment. Any amplified sound, so close to a residential building, is totally inappropriate.

SSD 15_7246 should only be considered as an application for works related to changing the nature of the physical space within Campbell's Cove. The applicant needs to be required to apply separately for approval of the specific uses of that physical space. Any such applications should not contain any sound amplification and should be restricted to operational hours between 10.00am and 11.00pm. Any such application should particularly address the protection of the residential amenity of residents at 8 Hickson Road and guests at the Park Hyatt Hotel.

Conclusion
That any applicant, let alone a Government Department, would dare to submit an application that is partly in DRAFT form, contains question marks and `X's in lieu of information and that ignores the expectations of a genuine assessment of the environmental impact of its proposals, is an affront to the professionalism of the Department of Planning and Environment and to that of consultants who do take the application process seriously. The cavalier attitude that undermines the documentation provided in SSD 15_7426 seems to infer a view that an application made by a Government Department will be rubber stamped and that it is therefore not worth the cost or effort of presenting it in final form or with the provision of real data and genuine assessment.

This application should be rejected on the basis of its frequent failure to provide complete and accurate documentation and also to conduct the research necessary to providing any conclusions, let alone those it does provide.

The applicant should be asked to re-submit the application when it is complete and professionally presented. Then, it should go on public exhibition again, this time, incorporating information on which a judgement can properly be made. Local residents - both at 8 Hickson Rd and the Park Hyatt Hotel should be informed and allowed the time necessary to fully and comprehensively respond to the proposals.

SSD 15_7246, Foreshore and Public Domain Improvements Campbell's Cove.

While I generally support the proposed Foreshore Improvements at Campbell's Cove, there are a number of areas in the application where information has not been supplied.

This information deals with details of the potential impact of the proposal on the amenity of my home at 8 Hickson Road and the potential negative impact on the quiet enjoyment of my residence.

The potential impact applies to both the construction phase of the project and the operational phase.

1.Construction Phase

1.1 Construction Hours.

I found no reference to the proposed hours that construction that will be undertaken on the site within the Environmental Impact Statement.

Appendix K contains a DRAFT Environmental & Construction Management Plan prepared by SJA Project Management. Page 8 of that report provides construction working hours of between 7.00am and 5.30pm Monday to Friday and between 7.00am and 5.00pm Saturday with no work on Sundays and public holidays.

The DRAFT report of `Assessment of Traffic, Transport and Construction Implications'. The report gives a 34 week construction period and the same hours of construction activity as the DRAFT Construction Management Plan.

Our home is immediately opposite the site and will be affected by any noise coming from the site as a consequence of construction activities, material deliveries, waste material removal and truck and workers idling prior to the commencement of work.

Should the application be approved, a condition should be attached that restricts the hours of construction to between 7.00am and 5.30pm Monday to Friday and between 8.00am and 5.00pm Saturday. No work should be carried out on Sundays or public holidays. The prohibition of work outside these hours should include the prohibition of deliveries to the site, including the delivery of heavy machinery, collection of waste and materials from the site and the standing and waiting of workers and vehicles on Hickson Road.

1.2 Impact of Movement of Construction Vehicles.

The impact of construction on my amenity and the amenity of other residents of The Rocks and Walsh Bay cannot be assessed as the report `Assessment of Traffic, Transport and Construction Implications' prepared by Transport Planning Associates is clearly only a draft report and is incomplete.

The last paragraph on page 14 of that report states:

"All existing pedestrian connections will be maintained except along the eastern footway of Circular Quay West. The envisaged movement of construction vehicles will be ? per day with more during any concrete pour and these vehicles will range between ? and ? with ? being used to remove excavated material."

Further page 15 of the same report states:

"TRUCK MOVEMENTS

The proposed truck routes are indicated on Figure 5 and the envisaged frequency is ?-? per day with more during concrete pours.

The largest truck to be utilised will be a ??"

It is difficult to fully understand how the `Assessment of Traffic, Transport and Construction Implications' can reach their stated conclusion on page 18 of the report that:

" * The arrangements and process for construction activity will not have any adverse implications"

when clearly no assessment has been made of the number or size of vehicles associated with the construction.

The DRAFT Environmental and Construction Management Plan on page 10 under the heading `Traffic Management Plan' states:

"The quantity of trucks entering and exiting the site is estimated at......"

Similarly, in discussing and assessing the "Construction Traffic Management" in Section 6.15. page 41 of "Environmental Impact Statement SSD 7246- Campbell's Cove, The Rocks" Urbis, consultant town planners, state:

" The envisaged movement of construction vehicles will be X per day with more during any concrete pour and these vehicles will range between X and X with X being used to remove excavated materials."

On the basis of this non-information, Urbis goes on to conclude on page 47 of the EIS that:

"It has been demonstrated that the proposed works will result in minimal environmental impacts, all of which can be managed or mitigated appropriately as outlined in this report."

Again, a conclusion is reached without any assessment of the number of vehicular movements or the size of vehicles likely to be generated during the construction phase.

2. Operational Phase

2.1 Truck Operations at the OPT

The operation of the Overseas Passenger Terminal currently results in noise impact on the residents of 8 Hickson Road and traffic impact on The Rocks, Walsh Bay and Millers Point. The road system through these high heritage value local areas was designed for the horse and cart not the massive trucks required to service the large cruise ships at the OPT. This servicing problem has become increasingly an issue since the expansion of the OPT and the increased frequency of large cruise ships using the facility - from approximately 22 in 2002 to several hundred in 2016.

It has been estimated that a single large cruise ship, such as the Ovation, loads more than 50 tonnes of fresh fruit and vegetables alone in Sydney each cruise season.

One aspect of the noise impact of the OPT is the `beeping' noise of reversing trucks in the early hours of the morning.

Section 4.2, page 25, of the EIS states,

"It is PANSW's request that access be provided through the proposed new plaza area to the wharf apron extension. These operations typically occur early morning (5-9am) and are closely monitored and managed for safety."

The number of trucks servicing a ship are estimated to between 5 and 10 depending on the size of the ship.

The proposed relocation of the truck turn-around area to the proposed open plaza to the north of the OPT has the very real potential to increase the noise impact of these trucks on the residents of 8 Hickson Road particularly in the early hours of the morning.

It is considered that these impacts may be minimised by a high level of management relating to the minimisation of reversing and the strict adherence of all trucks accessing the OPT being totally compliant with RMA noise minimisation requirements and the adoption of a suitable code of practice that includes being neighbour friendly. The Ports Authority is supposedly preparing a Code of Practice for the OPT.

Should the management of truck movements fail to prevent noise impact, then the operations of vehicles should be restricted to between the hours of 7.00am and 6.00pm Monday to Saturday with no early morning operations.

2.2 Public Domain and Public Access

Section 6.2 of the EIS states:

" The new waterfront promenade and public plaza will create the largest public gathering space in the Rocks Precinct with a unique cove setting for everyday leisure, performing arts, festival of Sydney, Vivid, Sydney Biennale, food festivals, music performances, open air cinema and theatre."

While I am generally supportive of the use of these spaces for public leisure activities and festivals, such events have the very real potential to adversely affect the quiet enjoyment of my home particularly through the impact of amplified music, voices and general crowd noise.

The EIS and other reports submitted do not make any assessment of the impact of the use of this area for any form of public or private entertainment.

SSD15_7246 should be considered for the works only. Further applications should be required for specific use of the spaces such applications containing complete details of the proposed use and appropriate objective reports from competent consultants.

2.3 Light Poles

Section 3.9, Furniture & Fixtures, of the EIS states on page 23:

"Lighting, PA systems and speakers will be integrated into the light poles, which will be unique to the precinct."

The PA systems of a number of cruise ships using the OPT, have noise impact on the residents of 8 Hickson Road. Any PA system installed within the subject area should only be used for emergency purposes and for crowd control during occasional major public events, such as New Year's Eve and Vivid. They should not be used on a daily or even a weekly basis. Certainly, any such system should not be used to broadcast music or in conjunction with entertainment events so close to a residential building.

Conclusion

1. I strongly object to the SSD15_7246 as the application is based on incomplete and incorrect information and on a number of key reports that are only in draft form and not final documents. Further, conclusions in respect to the impact of the proposal have been reached without the collection or analysis of critical and appropriate facts.

2. The application should be refused or the applicant advised to withdraw the application and resubmit with correct and complete supporting documentation. The processing and consideration of such significant applications on the basis of incomplete and shoddy supporting documentation undermines public confidence in the planning approval process and does real damage to the fragile credibility of the planning profession and the development industry generally.

3. Should it be decided to approve the application, despite its inadequacies, the following conditions should be attached to any development consent:

(i) Construction activities, including the delivery of plant, machinery and materials, the idling of trucks and other vehicles both on and off the site and the removal of waste and materials from the site is restricted to between the hours of 7.00am and 5.30pm Monday to Friday and between 8.00am and 5.00pm Saturday.
(ii) The approval is only in respect to the foreshore and public domain improvement works and must not be construed as approval of the use of these areas for any public or private entertainment purpose.
(iii) Any use of the foreshore or public domain areas for the purposes of any public or private entertainment must be the subject of further development applications. Such applications should include an assessment of the impact of such uses on the amenity of residents of 8 Hickson Road and guests of the adjacent Park Hyatt Hotel. Applications should include relevant objective reports prepared by appropriately qualified and credible consultants.
(iv) A plan of management must be prepared and approved to control and minimise noise from truck movements and other operations, as part of the OPT operations plan. Such plan must be approved prior to the use of the public plaza area for any purpose associated with the OPT.
(v) The OPT Operations Plan must be implemented with one clear outcome being the elimination of noise impacts of the operations of the OPT on the residents of 8 Hickson Road and guests of the Park Hyatt Hotel. If such noise impacts cannot be eliminated, then the hours of operation of the OPT must be restricted to between the hours of 7.00am and 6.00pm Monday to Saturday.
(vi) The PA system and speakers proposed to be installed within light poles throughout the area must only be used for emergency and crowd control purposes. The crowd control uses must be restricted to major public events such as New Year's Eve and Vivid. The system is not to be used for the broadcasting of amplified music or other entertainment purposes.

As per attachment