Moved by Councillor Davis, seconded by
Councillor Scott -
It is resolved that:
(A)
Council
note:
(i)
the Sydney Metro West project will provide a fast and reliable
connection between Greater Parramatta and the Sydney CBD and includes The Bays
metro stop at Pyrmont, which is strongly welcomed by the local community and
the City;
(ii)
in August 2022, approval was granted for Stage 2 of the Sydney Metro
West project involving excavation and tunnelling between The Bays and Sydney
CBD, which is now subject to a modification application that seeks to amend
conditions of approval to allow
non-Tunnel Boring Machine activities to be undertaken 24/7;
(iii) further, as part of design development, Sydney
Metro are changing the tunnel alignment and relocating a “cross over cavern”
from east of The Bays Station -where it is largely industrial - to the west of
the Pyrmont Station, under one of the densest residential suburbs in Australia
and where there are many heritage buildings including on Pyrmont Street,
Paternoster Row and Union Street;
(iv) the modification application was exhibited
for just two weeks in February 2023 and included a lot of technical information
that was confusing and alarming for many in the community who will be affected
by the changes;
(v) the community are most concerned about
impacts of vibrations from tunnelling beneath significant heritage buildings,
and about their amenity, safety and wellbeing from the
constant and excessive noise from boring and drilling underneath their
properties, air pollution from dust, and traffic operating in an already
congested area with other major development projects happening at the same time
nearby; and
(vi) at the request of community members and with
help of City of Sydney staff, the Sydney Metro West project team met with
concerned community members on 29 March 2023 to listen to their concerns;
(B)
the
Lord Mayor be requested to write to the Minister for Transport and Minister for
Planning requesting that:
(i)
the
application to modify approval of the Sydney Metro West - The Bays to Sydney
CBD is carefully reviewed against the valid concerns of the community outlined
in (A) (iii) to (v) above; and
(ii)
Pyrmont
and Ultimo communities are regularly updated at key project milestones and
briefed on any further changes proposed with an opportunity to comment before a
final decision is made; and
(C)
the
Chief Executive Officer be requested to convey the valid concerns of the
community outlined in (A) (iii) to (v) above in relation to the Sydney Metro
West - The Bays to Sydney CBD project during the City’s regular discussions
with Transport for NSW and Sydney Metro staff.
Carried unanimously.
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