Local resident wants ATP to turn it down

The Australian Technology Park - a research and development precinct with an entertainment venue - is located in the former Eveleigh Railway Workshops and has held a number of big events [most recently the MTV music awards]. Mr Sheridan has written numerous letters to council, police and the management of the ATP over the years notifying them that noise from such events is unacceptably loud.

“It is this high amplified music coming out of these buildings that were built during the days of the railway,” he says. “If it was once in a blue moon we could tolerate it but they seem to be having a lot more functions.”

The ATP has employed acoustic engineers to monitor the noise but Mr Sheridan says invitations made by him for noise to be measured from his residence have been rejected.

“The current ATP until recently retained the services of the Acoustic Group with its engineers advising me that they were under strict instructions only to take noise readings from the footway outside 499 Wilson Street, where in many cases the noise was inaudible,” Mr Sheridan wrote recently in a letter to the police.

“Why has the ATP refused to monitor where persistent noise complains are brought to his attention?” he adds.

Mr Sheridan has proposed that events at the Redfern site that may exceed the legal noise limits should be cancelled until the building is acoustically treated.

Robert Domm, Managing Director of the ATP says he will do what he can to get to the truth of the matter and has employed engineers to conduct further testing during the MTV music awards.

“I am engaging some new people to conduct further testing in recommended locations around the area and on the path and I will be assessing the outcome,” he says. “I acknowledge that there is probably a noise that we are hearing, but the issue is if that noise is excessive.”

“We are going to do proper testing and this is going to be the biggest event that the park has ever had so it is a good event to test on,” he adds. “We are going to adopt an impartial and scientific approach.”

And if the tests show that the events exceed legal noise limits: “We will act responsibly and in accordance with our legal obligations and therefore if we find we have an issue we have to find a solution.”

If you are hearing what you believe is excessive noise from this area please email us at editor@ssh.com.au

Photo: Ali Blogg- Caption: Bill Sheridan