Council's submission can be found on the right-hand side of this page. The submission is structured in line with the 28 chapters of the Beaches Link and Gore Hill Freeway Connection project EIS. Under the section for each chapter of the EIS, key issues are listed in the left column, comments and discussion are provided in the middle column, and Council staff recommendations to address the issues (or mitigate the impacts) are listed in the right column.
The most significant issues and concerns arising from a review of the BL/GHFC EIS include:
Council's submission can be found on the right-hand side of this page. The submission is structured in line with the 28 chapters of the Beaches Link and Gore Hill Freeway Connection project EIS. Under the section for each chapter of the EIS, key issues are listed in the left column, comments and discussion are provided in the middle column, and Council staff recommendations to address the issues (or mitigate the impacts) are listed in the right column.
The most significant issues and concerns arising from a review of the BL/GHFC EIS include:
- Strategic context and project need including the lack of publicly available Business Case to justify the project.
- Environmental impacts including vegetation removal, biodiversity impacts, groundwater, water quality, flooding and potentially contaminated land.
- Dredging & sediment disturbance in Middle Harbour including construction methodologies for coffer dams and tunnel units.
- Air quality including ventilation stacks, public health and real-time monitoring.
- Construction including impacts on Council assets, noise, dust, vibration and construction traffic.
- Operational traffic impacts especially in and around Artarmon / Reserve Road once the project is completed.
- Active and public transport including detours during construction and adequate facilities provision, post-construction.
- Property impacts including property acquisition in the Artarmon industrial area.
- Social and economic impacts including the loss of part of Flat Rock Reserve and business impacts in the Artarmon industrial area.
- Heritage impacts on Aboriginal and non-Aboriginal sites including Clive Park, Northbridge.
- Site reinstatement and future options for the Flat Rock Drive temporary construction site, post-construction.
Community sentiment
TfNSW is the agency responsible for community consultation on the BL/GHFC project. However, Council staff conducted a poll of community sentiment on the Have Your Say section of Council’s website. The poll question was: “Do you support the proposed Beaches Link and Gore Hill Freeway Connection?”
The poll sought to understand the diversity of community views on the project to inform Council’s submission. It was not intended to be a consultation process of behalf of Transport for NSW, nor is it statistically valid.
The community Sentiment Report can be found on the right-hand side of this page. The report contains the results of the poll. There were 274 responses to the poll. Overall, 73% of respondents opposed the BL/GHFC project and 27% were in support. Of the 27% in support, 15% supported the project as it is currently proposed, while the remaining 12% supported the project if changes were made. Staff also held a virtual meeting with local Progress Associations on 2 February 2021 to understand and incorporate their key issues into the submission.
BACKGROUND
Council asked residents to participate in a quick poll below, to understand community sentiment on the proposal to help inform a Willoughby Council submission.
We did not wish to detract from the formal submission process and stressed that interested individuals and groups should lodge submissions directly with State government as indicated in the Environmental Impact Statement documentation and on the Department of Planning Industry and Environment (DPIE) website not with Council.
Transport for NSW says the Beaches Link and Gore Hill Freeway Connection project will reduce travel times from the Northern Beaches by providing direct connections to the Warringah Freeway and North Sydney, the Inner West via the Western Harbour Tunnel and St Leonards and Macquarie Park via the Gore Hill Freeway Connection.
Find out how you will be impacted by reading the Environmental Impact Statement (EIS), viewing the interactive map and watching the video.
Links to an FAQ and fact sheets for Artarmon and Northbridge / Willoughby areas from RMS can be found to the right of this page.
You can also register to attend a live virtual information session for Artarmon 4pm-5pm on Tuesday 19 January, or for Northbridge/Willoughby 4pm–5.30pm, Tuesday 19 January.
For further information you can call the RMS team between 9am and 5pm, Monday to Friday on 1800 931 189, or email at whtbl@transport.nsw.gov.au
