Pauline Rowe
Secretary of LCIT
Hi Everyone,
Well another Badgerys Creek Taskforce Meeting was held on Thursday 5th Feb, 2015 and again unfortunately not a great deal to report.
However, there was a presentation from Department of Infrastructure and one of the presenters advised that there was a newsletter and community update advising progress of the infrastructure projects, I am unsure how often this is updated. I have attached a link to the site which details timelines of Environmental Impact Studies when they should commence etc., and community involvement, also infrastructure timelines.
I have asked the Community and Stakeholder Manager to send me any updates so I can on forward to the community to allow us to be informed.
http://www.infrastructure.gov.au/infrastructure/western_sydney/
Detailing
- Environmental Guidelines
- Geotechnical Analysis starting for Badgerys Creek
- Construction Updates
DEPT OF INFRASTRUCTURE NEWSLETTER:
As a community member I raised concerns for residents in Greendale Road and Luddenham being the most affected by the noise and building restrictions and was advised that during the consultation periods this will be definitely on the agenda. As the original ANEF studies were undertaken during the 1990’s a new study will be conducted in the next 12 months.
I also raised concerns of rural residents that many here have gone through this process before and that this has been ongoing on for well over 30 years now. it is causing great concern with many who do not know which way to go and that Government need to start the lines of communication sooner than later.
Councillor Peter Harle was also in attendance and raised the issue of ANEF restrictions for residential construction in the rural areas and asked when these would be either be changed or updated. He was concerned that people who own property especially around the Greendale Road and Luddenham area were being impacted by studies that were well over 20 years old and were either being harshly impacted by rigid ANEF‘s or totally disallowed any construction because of flight path configurations. Peter raised the issue that technology has come a long way in over 20 years and ANEF’s should be updated accordingly.
Dept. of Infrastructure has advised that with the new EIS new ANEF’s controls will likely be updated factoring in new technology. When this will happen has not been advised as yet.
The current owners of Sydney Airport have the first option to construct and operate the proposed Badgerys Creek airport and this option expires June 2015. If Sydney Airport does not take up the option, the tender to construct and operate will go out to the open market for private sector funding . Given the current uncertain global financial status for me the obvious question I raised was “what if no private organisation wants to build or operate the airport?” It is anticipated that the construction of the airport will be between $6 and $10 billion dollars and this is a substantial outlay for any organisation if there is not a guaranteed return on their investment.
I was advised if it did come to this point the Government would have to assess whether they would or could build it themselves and this could further delay processes.
Although there was discussion on the need for rail infrastructure there is no undertaking at this stage to construct any rail links from Leppington to Badgerys, however, there are several corridors of land that have been highlighted for this purpose, these were not discussed or advised at this meeting.
Well that’s all I can provide at this stage, but only to say again it is a waiting game and we are at the mercy of politicians.
Will update if anything further comes to light.
Regards
Pauline
Michael, I have always opposed the Badgerys Creek proposal due to similar concerns, I don’t believe a second Sydney airport is needed in what will be the major growth area of Western Sydney and beyond. Aircraft noise, risk of fuel spills over the growth area as well as food producing market gardens and agricultural land need to be carefully considered, let alone the potential to harm our major drinking water supply at Warragamba dam and Prospect Reservoir. At Kingsford Smith Airport emergency fuel dumping is mostly carried out over the ocean and contrary to popular belief its not a rarity.
It is interesting to look at the maps showing the proposed flight paths with their attendant noise patterns over Western Sydney. Draft_EIS_Second_Sydney_Airport_Volume_1_Main_Report_Part_C_Chapter_9.pdf
Kingsford Smith does have problems with the short runway and large aircraft, but that could have been addressed by shutting down all or part of Port Botany and moving it to Newcastle. But since the “sell off” that is a difficult option. Read Greg Cameron’s articles here: http://lcit.com.au/back-to-the-drawing-board-for-moorebank/
In my humble opinion there are better long term options. Rapid changes in aircraft technology, carrying capacity, noise reduction and shorter runways as well as yet to be developed technology will extend the life of Kingsford Smith Airport and reduce the viability of Badgerys Creek Airport. Seaboard airports have far less effect on people and the environment compared to inland airports.
Rapid transport technologies such as your suggestion of Very Fast Trains would go along way towards eliminating the need for many future aircraft flights and at far greater efficiency, much greater passenger capacity (and comfort), freight capacity and all with negligible overall travel time differences. There is also the major benefit of an economic rapid “intercity transport system” to inland destinations needed to allow rural regions to develop.
Peter Harle
I have been reading the government spin on this airport at http://www.infrastructure.gov.au/infrastructure/western_sydney/index.aspx and cannot believe how they continue to believe that this airport will not significantly impact the lives of Western Sydney residents in an adverse way. There is no mention that the current Sydney Airport Authority do not want to build this airport. They do not show Public Consultation as a dot point in their timeline graph.
They lie to the public by saying Kingsford Smith cannot cope with the demand and do not state that although passenger movements have increased 45% in 15 years, aircraft movements have only increased 3% and that’s under the current curfew.
They don’t state that 50% of the flights currently take off over water so noise/pollution impact is minimal, where at Badgerys Creek Western Sydney will get 100% of the noise all day and all night. They keep on crapping on that the aircraft are so much quieter, well if that is the case why isn’t the curfew lifted at Kingsford Smith??
Western Sydney is slated as being the fastest growing area so if this is the case the government are quite happy and relaxed to submit it’s second class citizens to noise and pollution all day and all night, increased health disorders, lower property prices. If this airport goes ahead in this area then this government not only will be subject to a class action if it operates 24 hours a day as against a curfew airport at Mascot, they will also be responsible for the premature deaths that will occur due to the air trap in this area. No government will want that I am sure.
The solution is simple, if we need a second airport, and we don’t, then it must be decentralised outside of Sydney, connected by VFT interconnecting the major cities on the eastern seaboard, not plonked at the foot of the mountains where the largest growing population in Sydney will be made to bear noise, pollution and bad health for 24 hours 7 days a week. Such a decision is ludicrous and the government should be thoroughly ashamed that they treat the citizens of Western Sydney with such disrespect. They also need to stop the spin on job creation with estimates given between 4000 and 200,000, well what is it? Bottom line, health of the people and the environment are much more important than jobs. Pity the government never talks about that!