RailCorp to Work on North Eveleigh Sub Stations and Ivery's Lane Retaining Wall

You can see a PDF copy of the letter and the plans at RailCorp Letter Re Moving Substations and Ivery's Lane Retaining Wall.

The RailCorp notice is made under the the Infrastructure SEPP and RailCorp is the proponent as well as the Determining Authority.  RailCorp is responsible for any notification and will determine what measures should be included to reduce impacts. Under the Infrastructure SEPP it appears that consultation with Councils or public authorities is required in some cases but there is no requirement under the SEPP for public consultation.Even though the period for responses in the letter has passed if you have comments that you wish to make you can still contact RailCorp on the contact details provided as most bodies do take into account comments received after closing dates.

The occupants of 36 Holdsworth Street have taken up the loss of the bird habitat with the City of Sydney who have advised “Council does not have any jurisdiction in relation to the issue in this instance as the trees are located within Railcorp's property. Under State Environmental Planning Policy (Infrastructure) 2007, Railcorp does not require development consent, nor concurrence from Council, for works within the rail corridor”. It is not clear if Council was asked for its comments or if now they are aware of it if they have written to RailCorp so this may be still worth pushing by those concerned. Councillor Irene Douthney has taken up the issue with Councillors and Council Officers.

As with the earlier run in with RailCorp over Leamington Avenue where RailCorp is not prepared to consult with the community and accommodate people’s legitimate concerns then it will only be publicity and pressure from MP’s that may change things.

Given the change of Government and their proposed reform of the Planning Act the approach that questions if RailCorp should be able to make such decisions without public exhibition as both the proponent and the consent authority is probably worth a push.

CarriageWorks would like RailCorp to consider a pedestrian entrance to the North Eveleigh site to the southern end in the new embankment to allow for easy access to the site from Macdonaldtown Station. Currently many people use a hole in the fence to follow this desire line.

Geoff Turnbull REDWatch.