Ivanhoe Estate redevelopment - Stage 1

While I welcome a school, childcare and social / affordable housing, I object to the proposed Ivanhoe estate development size. As a councillor and a resident in Ryde, I am dismayed at the potential loss of the important Sydney Turpentine Ironbark Forest that will be affected by the development at Ivanhoe. Ryde has already lost so many trees and will suffer heating and loss of wildlife as a result of this. I believe this important remnant forest which has been assessed as critically endangered by the NSW threatened species scientific committee at Environment NSW, by your Government's department, should be given full protection from any clearing. The E2 zoning at this site should be extended to protect the endangered forest, the Shrimptons Creek Riparian Zone and the wildlife corridors along Epping Road.

The proposed slip Road (left hand entry) off Epping road cuts through a wildlife corridor and impacts on the forest. The slip road should be removed - I am told that traffic modelling shows only an 11 second delay for Epping road traffic entering the site if you were to remove the slip road.
This development proposal does not adequately address the findings of the Scientific Committee which states in their report (3.1.1):
Remnants of Sydney Turpentine-Ironbark Forest are typically small and fragmented and are susceptible to continuing attrition through clearing for routine land management practices due to the majority of remnants being located in close proximity to rural land or urban interfaces (Benson and Howell 1994; Tozer 2003).

Sadly, an offset credit system or biobanking is suggested to 'offset' the loss of the trees at this site. I am sure its been pointed out by others that offsets are not considered conservation. Protecting another area somewhere else in regional NSW will not protect this remnant forest. It's critically endangered and only grows in Sydney. Thus the name.

I am concerned that the number of trees likely to be lost has not been quantified clearly, its very confusing as the count appears to count clumps of trees instead of individual trees.

In addition to the loss of biodiversity that will result from this development, I am concerned about it's overall footprint and the strain on our roads and local services. 3,500 units from 259 is a massive increase. Add to that 2,700 dwellings about to be occupied at Lachlans Line and the rest being built in Macquarie Park. We just can't take anymore people. Any more cars. Any more students etc until we have built more infrastructure and fixed our roads. This proposal is just too big.

You put thousands of people into high rise, with bad solar access and small outdoor spaces, reduced cross ventilation... it doesn't provide a healthy home for a harmonious community. Reducing the number of bedrooms in each social housing unit also locks out families.

I urge the NSW Government to consider alternative designs which protects the forest and wildlife corridor in its entirety, reduce the overall number of private units and concentrate on providing decent sized homes for those living in social housing.

As discussed, it appears that the changes to the Stage 1 DA have been minor and to an extent, negligible. On behalf of the owners of 6-8 Lyonpark Road Macquarie Park (adjoining property to the future road connection to Lyonpark Road), I would like to note the following concerns with respect to Stage 1 DA works:

- The proposed Stage 1 works may compromise the structural integrity of our land and improvements i.e. crib wall, retaining wall, buildings, hardstand, etc. As prescribed in The Desktop Geotechnical Assessment (Appendix Item G), the reference outlining the “need for care to be taken during any excavation for earthworks below the adjacent crib walls…”, clearly demonstrates that the expert sub-consultant is aware of the potential for impairment, which should trigger the need for more elaborate and extensive investigation as part of the DA process.

- Noise and vibration testing locations have focused on residential locations and the retirement living village (Baptist Care Willandra) along Herring Road. Evidently, there has been no regard for the impact that construction noise and vibration may have on employment-based uses along Lyonpark Road, and in general, beyond the southern shore of Shrimptons Creek.

- Vibration, noise and pollutants may disrupt the operations of our tenant. Our tenant, Memjet, is a high-tech printing firm, and as such, may be sensitive to vibration, pollutants and noise that result from construction and related works. We are concerned that this may impact the suitability of our site and compromise our lease and income. It must be noted that the current B7 Business Park zoning permits commercial uses, which tend to be more sensitive to undesirable outputs during the construction phase (definitely the case for our tenant) compared to traditional industrial-based uses, which tend to be more resilient. Regardless, it is absolutely vital that the operations of businesses are not interrupted or affected in any shape or form.

- While the plans have been altered in response to our first submission, we would like to reiterate that we have not consented to the removal of any tree within the confines of 6-8 Lyonpark Road, Macquarie Park.

- Given the boundary location, it is difficult to envisage that the developer and their sub-contractors will not trespass our site during Stage 1A works and construction. There are public liability and other risks and exposures associated with this type of work that we will not accept nor take any responsibility for. Additionally, there has been no correspondence from the developer requesting access to our site for the purpose of delivering Stage 1A works.

Our intention is not to hinder the overarching project. In principle, we support the redevelopment given that it will represent a valuable source of housing, both private and social for Macquarie Park and Greater Sydney. It will also reactivate and rejuvenate the northern foreshore of Shrimptons Creek and provide much needed open space. Moreover, the delivery of a school and overhaul of the local road network are also much needed enhancements that will derive many benefits to the broader Macquarie Park precinct. However, we need to ensure that our interests, assets and tenants are protected at all times and not undermined as a result of the redevelopment project and its works.

Please discuss/present our concerns to the developer. However, if you feel that it is necessary for us to engage directly with the developer, please advise.

I am available should you have any questions or queries about our concerns.

Regards,

David Dragicevic
Principal Advisor