No Stabling Yards Macdonaldtown Residents Group - 15.12.2005

INFORMATION FOR COMMUNITY MEMBERS – MACDONALDTOWN STABLES

Information in this document has been extracted from documents available on request from the Transport Infrastructure Development Corporation (TIDC)

FACTS

The Facility

• The purpose of the development is to store 8 trains in order to decrease their travel time from outer suburbs;
• The facility & generators will operate 24 hours a day, 7 days a week;
• Trains will cleaned at the site and are required to test horns and brakes when departing the facility from 4am, which will mean 16 horns & brakes (2 sets per train);
• Noise studies admit this will cause “awakening events”, even with the proposed “noise barriers in place” and no alternative solutions have been presented;
• A significant increase (doubling) of the current ambient background noise in the local community is expected (contributed to by generators, train movements, train cleaning, additional traffic from staff traveling to the facility etc);
• Lighting for the facility will also operate 24 hours a day, thereby increasing light pollution; and
• There appears to be inadequate parking and potential noise breaches during staff shift changes at the facility.

Construction - impacts

• There will be increased noise and traffic (including heavy vehicles) through residential streets during the 12 months of construction of the Facility;
• This will include building an access road from the corner of Burren Street and Erskineville Road to (PARTIALLY) accommodate some of the heavy vehicles.  This will destroy the square outside the dry cleaners and the Thai restaurant;
• Trucks will be turning into the access road across Erskineville Road, causing further traffic obstructions on an already very busy road; and
• Heavy trucks will also still use Charles and Wilson Sts.
  

Consultation & Approval - Issues

• Community consultation has been limited, with the onus on residents to pro-actively seek information;
• The proposing body (TIDC) is the approving body.  There is no independent assessment;
• Publicity information circulated by the TIDC does not indicate the facility will be a 24 hour 7 day maintenance and testing facility;
• Noise testing has only been performed at 3 locations and does not cover all affected areas; and
• At the TIDC’s own admission, their internal assessments (using consultants) have lead them to the conclusion that a complete Environmental Impact Study is not required, therefore there has not, nor currently will there be one!
  

This type of industrial infrastructure development is highly likely to have an impact on already diminishing property values, particularly degradation of the residential amenity through increased noise and traffic congestion.

Further info on the project: http://www.tidc.nsw.gov.au/ArticlePage.aspx?PageID=210 

This group of concerned residents suggests 

• We recognize that the state government’s need to “fix” the current train system;
• We support a fully functioning public transport that is well integrated with the community’s needs;
• We do NOT support, development without consultation of community stakeholders
• We do believe the current proposal will significantly impact the environment of the local community and are seeking a full Environmental Impact Study by the TIDC;
• We are seeking an extension to the objection dealing (currently 2/12/2005) as this is insufficient notice and corresponds to the holiday period when many families are not necessarily home to object and participate;
• Disclosure of alternative sites considered – Eveleigh Railyards - and reasons for rejection;
• Where no suitable alternative is available, comprehensive sound proofing, and aesthetic management of the Macdonaldtown facility
  

LOCAL CONTACT DETAILS

Community action group email:  no_stabling_yards@yahoo.com.au
Kym Grieve – 0416 269 554
Penny Austin – ph 0411 480 944
Gretchen Miller – ph:  9519 2491

SEND YOUR LETTERS TO:

Director, Planning and Environment - Transport Infrastructure Development Corporation
TIDC Locked bag 6501, St Leonards, 2065 mail@tidc.nsw.gov.au

Clover Moore, Mayor, City of Sydney, GPO Box 1591, Sydney NSW 2001
clover@clovermoore.com

John Watkins, Minister for Transport,
Level 30 Governor Macquarie Tower, 1 Farrer Place SYDNEY NSW 2000 ryde@parliament.nsw.gov.au

Barry O’Farrell – Shadow Minister for Transport,
27 Redleaf Avenue, WAHROONGA NSW 2076, barry.o'farrell@parliament.nsw.gov.au

Carmel Tebbutt – Member for Marrickville
244 Illawarra Road, MARRICKVILLE NSW 2204, marrickville@parliament.nsw.gov.au

Sam Byrne – Mayor of Marrickville
9A Beauchamp Street, MARRICKVILLE NSW 2204 sbyrne@marrickville.nsw.gov.au

Peter Debnam, Leader of the Opposition, NSW,
PO Box 960, BONDI JUNCTION NSW 2022 peter.debnam@parliament.nsw.gov.au

PLEASE PREPARE A LETTER AND SEND IT TO ALL OF THESE PEOPLE, INDIVIDUAL LETTERS ARE THE BEST WAY TO INFLUENCE THIS PROPOSAL

THIS WILL MAKE A DIFFERENCE TO YOUR LIFESTYLE IN NEWTOWN/ERSKINEVILLE