Template for Letter to Dept of Education re Darlington School Impact

The Department of Education,

Sydney,

NSW 2000.

Dear Sir/Madam,

We are writing to you in regard to the proposed University of Sydney Abercrombie Precinct development in Darlington.

The proposed development is adjacent to Darlington Public School and will take over 2 existing blocks, 2 laneways and a park. A number of existing buildings will be demolished to make way for the new development.

The proposal is for an 8 storey building incorporating a Business School, student accommodation and an underground car park. This huge building will overshadow and overwhelm the school along with the residences on Abercrombie Street. There will be an influx of around 7,000 international students into the area along with a huge increase in the amount of traffic on local streets, including heavy industrial vehicles.

The final day to submit letters of objection to the proposed development to the Department of Planning is Friday 24 June 2011. We need your support to protect our children at your school in Darlington.

As local residents and parents of a child who attends Darlington Public School we have very grave concerns about the huge disruption the development will cause to all the children at the school. We are very worried about the safety of the children while they are at school during school hours as well as when they are arriving at and leaving the school each day:-

1. The access road for the proposed development is to be on Abercrombie Street on the boundary with the school. This access road will be quite close to a pedestrian crossing which is already very dangerous. It will be very difficult for the drivers of the huge industrial and commercial vehicles using the access road to see the small children walking along the footpath and/or using the pedestrian crossing. The Department of Education surely has a duty of care in ensuring that children are able to arrive at and leave safely from one of its schools. Children should not be put at risk of being hurt or injured because of the bad planning in putting an access road for this huge development site adjacent to the school. There are other streets that the University could use for this access road such as Darlington Lane. Keep the heavy industrial traffic away from our children who are going to and from the primary school.

Will the Department take its duty of care seriously and ensure that this dangerous access road is moved from the vicinity of the school?

2. There will be an enormous amount of noise and pollution that our children will be exposed to for a number of years from the construction of this enormous development. The children at Darlington Public School have the right to an education free from industrial noise and safe from pollution.

Will the Dept ensure that the educational environment of Darlington Public and Preschools should not be diminished by heavy construction noise, traffic and pollution?

3. Some years ago asbestos was found in the playground of the school and the playground was hence covered up to stop any more asbestos being exposed. However, it is likely that asbestos will be found on the development site adjacent to the school and subsequently exposed. Our children should be protected from the chances of breathing in any pollutants. We want assurances from the Department of Education that the children of Darlington Public School will always be protected from being exposed to any kind of asbestos or other dangerous materials while attending Darlington Public School.

Will the Department take its duty of care seriously and ensure that this dangerous material and other substances will not cause injury or illness to any child, parent or staff member at Darlington Public school during the construction of this massive development?

We look forward to hearing from you about what the Department of Education is going to do about the very real concerns we have raised.

Yours faithfully,

 Source: For more information contact: raidd2008@gmail.com