Meadowbank Education Employment Precinct Schools Project Mod 3 - Extended construction hours

Suzanne Mann, 44 Maxim St, West Ryde.
Modification Request for the Meadowbank Education Precinct Schools Project, 2 Rhodes St, Meadowbank (SSD-9343-Mod-3).
I object to the modification request to extend the approved construction hours for the Meadowbank Education Precinct Schools Project.
Under the existing development consent, the approved construction hours are between 7:00am and 6:00pm Mondays to Fridays and between 8:00am and 1:00pm on Saturdays, with no night work scheduled and no work occurring on Sundays or public holidays. There is also existing provision to extend these hours, provided noise levels do not exceed the existing background noise level plus 5 dB, where works may be undertaken between 6:00pm and 7:00pm, Mondays to Fridays and between 1:00pm and 4:00pm on Saturdays. This is in line with the EPA’s Interim Construction Noise Guideline and should provide adequate time for construction works without further adverse impact on the surrounding residents.

Ryde Development Control Plan 2014 (RDCP) Part 8.1 Construction Activities of the RDCP states that construction hours may be varied provided the applicant demonstrates ‘that due to the nature of the work being undertaken, or the location of the site, residents in the vicinity of the construction site will not be adversely affected’.
What noise assessors, may consider "acoustically acceptable" is not necessarily acceptable to those living with the continual, daily noise.
The amenity of surrounding residents is already adversely affected by the current approved construction hours - e.g. people working from home, parents at home with young children, shift workers.
The current increased noise levels from the construction works have resulted in raised volumes for conversation, radio and television. It is at times not possible to open windows or doors because of the continual and intrusive noise, particularly if trying to run a Zoom meeting/training session.
However, this is a strong, supportive residential community that has accepted the current level of disruption in support of improved educational facilities for the community benefit.
The current construction hours are bearable because, even using the existing 'additional hours' extension, construction works will conclude by 7pm M-F (commonly meal time and a time for families to gather and converse), and 4pm Saturdays. Sundays are uninterrupted and should remain that way - a day of rest and relief from the ongoing construction noise.
I feel that further extending construction hours is unnecessarily intrusive. It is unfair to subject surrounding residents to further intrusion early in the mornings (an often stressful time in normal circumstances - getting everyone organised for the day, without the addition of persistent construction noise) and then well into the night (10pm!), and 7 days a week, with no end in sight, as no indication has been given of a timeframe for this additional intrusion.
Examples of potential for additional noise 7 days per week -
* The addition of two construction vehicles (four movements) per hour during the proposed extended work hours - reversing alarms - essential for site safety, but a very intrusive, intermittent and jarring noise for surrounding residents.
* External facades and landscaping - Cumulative noise of external works, with numerous workers operating power tools, and deliveries of materials.
There must be a balance between resident amenity and community benefit, and the proposed extension of construction hours tips that balance further away from resident amenity.
Therefore I formally object to the modification request for extension of construction hours on the Meadowbank Education Precinct Schools Project.

I object to the extension of building hours on the above project. I live a few blocks away and can clearly hear noise originating from the TAFE building site.

Extension to building hours is clearly politically motivated to avoid embarrassment prior to the next state election.

I would like to STRONGLY OBJECT to the increase of working hours for the MEADOWBANK EDUCATION PRECUNCT SCHOOLS PROJECT (Application no. SDD-9343-mod-3). The amount of noise that the project already excessive and is impacting my children’s sleep and if this was to increase it would only exacerbate this problem. There is already an issue with trades people arriving before 6am, slamming doors, talking loudly and laughing as they walk towards the project. If this was to increase and the working hours begin at 6am this would then start to happen at 5am waking not only myself up but my children too.
Besides the people working on the project, the noise of the diesel crane from 7am is very loud and this begins as soon as the approved time. The constant noise from this crane runs from 7am until 5pm during the week and some Saturdays it has been starting just prior to 8am. I understand that building sites will have noise, however the constant droning noise that the diesel crane emits beyond frustrating and is a burden to the neighbourhood
Additional to the noise, parking in the surrounding streets has become a major problem. As mentioned earlier trades people arrive more than an hour before the site opens for work to get a parking spot and not to be booked by the rangers. I have been living in my address for more than years and I can assure that it is not TAFE students taking up all of the parking, as they would generally arrive between 730 and 8am. Trades people are regularly parking over driveways to impede residents from being able to move freely in out of their own properties. These people seem to have utter disregard for other people and park across and/or impede people’s driveways despite rangers’ tickets and the threat of cars being towed away.

I would like to reiterate that I STRONGLY OBJECT to the modification of the working hours on this project.

Please see attachment

Exhibition of Modification Request for the Meadowbank Education Precinct Schools Project,
Application Number SSD-9343-Mod-3.
Our family definitely doesn't support wanting to extend the existing working hours Mon to Friday from 7.00am to 6.00am.
As it stands, our family is already being subjected to excessive noise from 5.00am everday of the week now anyway.The construction workers hoon around our streets, cars idling constantly; loud jibber jabber; noisy work often commencing well before 7.00am anyway.Then all day they are constantly roaming our streets; moving their cars around; etc.
The noise we experience is very disruptive to our everyday living,mental health and wellbeing.
We have an essential services worker in our household who is also studying university at home online; to become a paramedic. He works varied shifts on top of grueling hours of study.His mental health ; including heightened anxiety levels are sufferring due to the constant, continual loud noise levels which effect his and everyone elses sleep patterns within our household.We worry that this is going to affect his final university results at the end of the year.So not only is this effecting him but we worry constantly; so it effects us; his parents.This is a horrible feeling for us; actually sickening. We are feeling extremely unwell due to this constant; invasive noise which is relentless all day and into many nights seven days a week.
As far as the night extension in hours; Mon-Friday 6pm-10pm; residents need to be reassured that it is only to be done for"specific work activities" that are not excessively noisy.We expect this condition would not be abused.We do not give permission for these extended hours every night of the week; willy nilly.
We don't want the hours extended on Saturday or Sunday as we feel our family and all families in the area deserve respite from the horendous conditions we put up with all week.
It has been nothing short of rediculous what we have all had to put up with.
As stated prior, my family's health and wellbeing are being severly compromised due to the vile noise conditions we are having to put up with every day of the week.

To Whom It May Concern,
RE MEADOWBANK EDUCATION PRECINCT SCHOOLS PROJECT SSD-9343-Mod3

I STRONGLY OBJECT to the proposed modifications (Modification 3) to the Meadowbank Education Precinct Schools Project which would see an increase to approved construction hours.

This is the first time I am making a submission to any building application (and I have received many many application notifications across the few properties I own/live in within the Ryde Coucil area).

I take this submission very seriously because 1) in principle I agree with the project to build a school and invest in education infrastructure so desperately needed in this growing area, and 2) my son (toddler) LOVES construction vehicles so the nearby job site is a source of entertainment and excitement for us at times. At the same time, I could not let this application request go by without expressing my SERIOUS CONCERNS for the impact it would have on myself, my family and the local residents.

Firstly, the construction noise during the currently approved hours is already having a huge impact on us. My son is no longer able to sleep during the day. This is not due to excitement of the building noise, but instead, because it is so loud that he can not fall asleep. He has been in tears asking me to tell the builders to stop so that he can rest. He tries to sleep with his hands over his ears, understandably without any success. The construction noise, especially the diesel crane, is heard easily by him despite me using all means available to me to reduce the impact (all windows, blinds, external and internal doors closed, white noise machine in his room playing). The flow on affects of this lack of sleep are felt throughout the day. He is unhappy, exhausted, frustrated and emotional (as are the whole family). The noise is not only directly a result of the works and machinery, but is also a result of the staff driving and parking in the area. We hear workers coming at least 1 hour prior to the job site opening to get a car spot (many listen to music with their windows down, no care for the residents whose homes they have parked outside of). They are forced to arrive early to secure a spot (especially on the side of the street that has more than 2 hr parking, which happens to be the side of the street we live on). Similarly, at the end of the day they get changed out of their dirty worksite attire, but not before turning on their car stereo and smoking a cigarette. As such, a 6am start to construction work and a 10pm finish will realistically mean we will be impacted, DAILY, from 5am until 11pm.

Secondly, the extension to work hours will exacerbate already significant secondary consequences of the construction works. For example, street parking is impossible in the entire area. Builders are seen daily (and many times a day given most street parking is limited to 2 hrs in the area), in their intentionally noticeable high vis vests, circling the streets to find parking. They regularly park across our driveway so we can’t get out. I’ve seen cars force their way in to spots that are too small (hitting other parked cars), cars dangerously turn into driveways to turn around and grab a vacant car space, or cars drive so slowly to look for spots that many drivers overtake them, swerving onto the wrong side of the road and speeding up to bypass them. This weeks a car was parked on the verge outside my house. It was not safe for my children to be outside the front of our house. These traffic issues are hazards moreso than inconveniences, and are especially concerning for the safety of pedestrians (particularly the many children that live in the area, our street in particular). A longer work day means many more of the above incidents and many more risks to local residents, particularly children.

Thirdly, our experience, to date, has been that the building work has already engaged in many additional days/times of work outside the approved hours. Some of these have been noted following complains and investigated with justification as ‘for safety reasons’. If work can continue for safety reasons within the job site, surely due consideration for the regular, daily and significant safety of residents also deserves serious consideration. We will be impacted daily without reprieve. The costs to our health (mostly emotional health), but also potentially physical health due to increased road/traffic risks, urgently needs attention.

The idea that construction may continue beyond 6pm (or 7pm for the ‘background noise’ limit) until 10pm is EXTREMELY CONCERNING. So is the idea of construction commencing at 6am. Having to bear the daytime impact of construction is one thing – but impact early in the morning and into the night is beyond comprehension. Similarly the extension of hours on a Saturday morning and the addition of Sunday work (6am – 4pm) means we have no reprieve.
Numerous scientific studies clearly note the broad and significant impact of noise on sleep quality and related emotional health consequences (Kim et al 2012; Halperin, 2014). A review article states, ‘Nocturnal noise pollution must be avoided near residential areas as sleep disturbances have serious long term health consequences” (Gupta et al., 2018, p300).

While the long term benefits of the Meadowbank School Precinct are significant I do not believe that local residents should be impacted to such a degree. Small inconveniences may be tolerated for a short period, but I have been pushed to my limits and certainly do not believe that the degree of impact in the proposed modification is justified.

If it were possible, I would be requesting a reduction to work hours, the removal of the diesel crane, and resident only parking on our street. I also urge the department of planning, industry and environment to conduct independent noise monitoring from various locations of the residential areas around the job site (eg front yards, back yards of people’s homes) to ensure that the noise emitted by the construction work is allowable. Our experience living in the local area is that the noise (even for a family who get some enjoyment from the construction site) is excessive and having a significant negative affect on residents.

I call on the Department of Planning Industry and Environment to REJECT the modifications to this project. The wellbeing of many local residents depends on it.

References
Gupta, A., Gupta, A., Jain, K., & Gupta S. (2018). Noise pollution and impact on children health. The Indian Journal of Pediatrics, 85, 300-306. Doi: 10.1007/s12098-017-2579-7.

Halperin, D. (2014). Environmental noise and sleep disturbance. A threat to health? Sleep Science, 7, 209-212 doi: 10.1016/j.slsci.2014.11.003

Kim, M., Chang, S. I., Seong, J. C., Holt, J. B., Park, T. H., Ko, J. H., & Croft, J. B. (2012). Road traffic noise: Annoyance, Sleep disturbance, and public health implications. American Journal of Preventative Medicine, 43, 353-360 doi: 10.1016/j.amepre.2012.06.014

I object to Application No:SSD-9343-Mod-3 to increase the construction hours allowed for the Meadowbank Education Precinct.
I object to any further increase to construction hours. The increase will result in an extension of the noise from the construction site as well as noise from traffic moving around the area and it will have a detrimental impact on the local residents, who are already being negatively impacted by this project. There will be no relief from the continuous and relentless noise and constant drone not to mention the pollution from the equipment such as diesel cranes. It is particularly offensive to suggest that construction is carried out on Sunday, the one and only day that many residents can enjoy some quiet time and relief from the ongoing traffic and noise issues from this project. I vehemently and whole heartedly object to this application modification.

My family and I object to the additional work hours.

The project was undertaken with an agreement an hours and a detailed understanding of the timeline available. I see that there has been nothing that has held up the project, no bad weather, no hold ups, in fact there has been additional hours due to the covid increases.
The current hours are excessive and are impacting the daily lives of residents, many of who are now working extended hours from home during this build. The noise is constant as is the vibration of the cranes. It is at a point where the local residents are feeling psychological impacts of the constant noise an impacts on our daily lives.
I acknowledge that the suggested noise level is low during the requested extended hours, there is a lack of trust given the breeches that are seen by local residents. Complaints that have been made are never acknowledged and are rejected by the builders although we have evidence of the breech.
We have builders complaining to us that parking is a problem. We have builders parking from early hours, walking the streets on phones during break time, leaving rubbish at their car parking spots there are many issues.

I strongly object to the project, please see my submission attached.
Dear Sir/Madam
I live in Macpherson Street Meadowbank and the extension of construction hours will adversely affect me and my wellbeing.
I object to this amendment request and ask the Department of Planning Industry and Environment to reject this proposal.
I ask that my personal information be withheld before publication.
The following three pages comprise my submission to reject the request to amend the development consent to extend construction hours.
I declare I have not made any reportable political donations in the previous two years.
Yours sincerely
Suellen Hazell

Object to proposed extra hours - please see attached letter

I support the extension of approved construction hours, with some amendments.

I believe that there should be no change to the start hours for approved construction - working later in the day is ok.
I would prefer extensions in the evening for all days, even to have Saturdays and Sundays match weekdays.
i.e. 7am - 10pm for all days.

Meadowbank, 21 April 2021
Re: SSD-9343-Mod-3
Dear Dept of Education,
Thanks for the consultation relating to the modification of planning consents for the Meadowbank Education precinct. We appreciate this is an important an urgent project.
We have discussed the proposal among a group of residents and have some concerns and would like to offer some suggestions to revise the consent modifications.
We understand the need to increase working hours for the construction of the primary school as to achieve completion before the start of term 1 in 2022. We understand now upon communicating with your department that the modifications only relate to work on the primary school and not the whole TAFE site.
The biggest disruption to the community is due to the noise of vehicles with staff and deliveries in the early hours of the morning. Currently with a 7am start vehicles are often waiting much earlier.
We are concerned that a 6am start would push the nuisance noise to before 5am. We therefore request that the 7am start is maintained Monday to Sunday and that more emphasis is put by the proponent on managing noise from the arriving workforce and logistics of deliveries.
Work on Sunday is equally problematic. It is a rare break from the overall construction activity in the neighbourhood. We would prefer the work is restricted only to exceptional tasks like removal of the cranes after 8am.
We also would prefer you limit the work after 6pm to work carried out within the building fit out.
In summary we would suggest hours are modified to
- M to F 7am 10pm but Indoor after 6pm
Sat 8am 6pm
Sun 8am 4pm Limited to select activities

We suggest that the communication to residents is improved. The notification of the change in consent details did not clearly state that the changes are limited to the Primary school site nor the timeframe of the extended work hours.
Regards
Michael Ridger
1/2C Angas Street, Meadowbank

I wish to object to the Modification Application which is for an extension of approved constructions hours for specific work activities. I object to the additional construction hours of Sundays 6am to 4pm. The amount of construction and activity within this area is phenomenal. I understand that progress is required, but keep the area with no construction on a Sunday. There is a lot of noise, dust and truck movement and lack of parking in the area as it is. Trucks are parking in front of my home in Stone Street, In some instances, trucks are parking across my driveway. I totally object to the extended construction hours on a Sunday.

· We request that the 7am start is maintained Monday to Friday and that more emphasis
is put by the proponent on managing noise pollution from the very early arriving workforce
and logistics of deliveries.

· Work on Saturday shouldn’t start before 8am, but we gladly suggest to finish by 10pm
latest, to make up all lost time in the interest of the public to have the new school
buildings ready when needed at the start of the new school year 2022.

· Any work on a Sunday (and Public Holiday) should only be carried out after 9am if really
needed. – Prior notification to residents in the vicinity mandatory.

· We also would prefer you limit any work after 6pm to essential work carried out within
the building fit out, e.g. behind closed doors and windows.



A few pages of the petition attached, - My counting tallied at 1001 signatures of nearby residents.


Originals on the way to you via good old PONY EXPRESS ( = AUSTRALIA POST )


Thank you for giving us all the opportunity to express our concerns, despite a very late delivery by Pony Express, cutting the submission period short by up to 5 days …

I object to this project

I reject the request to extend the hours of operation in the Schools site due to the following reasons:
-The negative impact of the noise on residents' sleep. Impact has already been catastrophic in our family and hours need to minimised, not extended.
-Street parking noise of construction workers has been documented by numerous neighbours. Hours are from 5:30am. Where’s the evidence of the DA approval for off street parking being mandated.
-Truck noise. Documented evidence of trucks not complying to DA for streets they can drive on
-Sunday should not be used for construction
-Definition of ambient noise + 5DB is not clear
-Schools Construction is behind Project Management schedule. Not residents’ fault. Give the residents a break
-Communication of compliance issues has been suboptimal and caused considerable stress to residents. Lack of care for residents is clear.
- Workers are consistently using church grounds as a public lavatory to urinate. This is disgusting and has been evidenced by neighbours.

The level of noise is of such a magnitude that it is directly causing mental health issues due to decibel levels consistently exceeding guidelines. The causality between the noise and our health is such that if this continues we will be engaging legal representation to enforce mitigation strategies. There has been no consideration given to the people who live here at all and the flagrant disregard for the residents collective health is astounding.

We should not have to raise these issues given the obvious number of infringements to date, please do something about it.

My baby and preschooler are sleeping during most of the hours requested. The construction hours should not be extended.

Please see attached