I normally try to provide good news in the Trust’s eNews, so I will report that the NorthConnex is finally opening and preliminary works have commenced on Beecroft Station pedestrian lifts.
                   
 
However, there are two other State Government related matters, both affecting our amenity and health, that have been dragging on for too long with no clear conclusion in sight.  
 
Since the widening of the M2 the Trust has received numerous complaints from residents about an increase in ambient traffic noise. Residents living in streets on both sides of the M2, including  Boronia, Castle Howard, Austral and Murray Farm, have contacted the Trust with an expectation that the State Government will investigate residents’ concerns. Initial enquiries through our local State Member Dominic Perrottet MP indicate some resistance from RMS to act on the Trust’s request for further noise monitoring.   While the Trust is still pursuing the matter, it would help if you could also email directly to our Member for Epping Dominic Perrottet MP at  Dominic Perrottet (epping@parliament.nsw.gov.au)  or write to suite 303, level 3, 51 Rawson St Epping 2121, and request the need for further noise studies either by RMS or an independent consultant.
 
The second issue is related to the former temporary haulage road behind the Cheltenham Oval netball courts through to Kirkham Street. The haulage road was built through bushland as a temporary access for the removal of tunnel material as part of the Metro project. The actual Metro approval was for the final reinstatement of the bushland. There was an agreement between the Metro Project and Hornsby Council that the bushland, when reinstated would be handed back to Hornsby Council for their care, control and management. Council provided the native tube stock propagated by volunteers from its own nursery.

The bushland reinstatement process started to fail when Metro employed a landscaping contractor for 12 months instead of professional bush regenerators. The contractor did not manage the site well, resulting in the loss of the majority of the tube stock with weeds aplenty.  Council has offered to correct the mismanagement and complete the project using bush regenerators but conditional upon Metro providing the required funding. Apparently without consulting Council, Metro instead closed down the project and left the site after the 12 month period. Council, frustrated by the lack of cooperation by Metro, had no alternative but refuse to accept a handover unless the funding was forthcoming. I understand Dominic Perrottet is in the process of requesting the necessary funds from Transport NSW to allow Council to complete the project.
 
I will continue liaising with Dominic Perrottet MP  but again, if you are concerned about the recovery of our local bushland please email Mr Perrottet.  In the meantime it is not right that Council’s volunteer bush regenerators, most being your fellow residents, feel compelled to start weeding in the  former haulage road site that has been abandoned by the Metro project.

Ross Walker OAM
President.
president@bcct2119.com.au

• Draft Walking and Cycling Strategy
• Draft Economic Development and Tourism Strategy
• Draft Employment Lands Study
• Draft Play Plan.