ENVIRONMENTAL IMPACT STATEMENT LIGHT HORSE INTERCHANGE BUSINESS HUB, EASTERN CREEK SSD 9667 PREPARED FOR WESTERN SYDNEY PARKLANDS TRUST JULY 2019 URBIS STAFF RESPONSIBLE FOR THIS REPORT WERE: Director Jennifer Cooper Associate Director Samantha Wilson Project Code P5115 © Urbis Pty Ltd ABN 50 105 256 228 All Rights Reserved. No material may be reproduced without prior permission. You must read the important disclaimer appearing within the body of this report. urbis.com.au CONTENTS TABLE OF CONTENTS Statement of Validity ............................................................................................................................................ i Executive Summary ........................................................................................................................................... iii 1. Introduction ........................................................................................................................................... 1 1.1. Project Overview ................................................................................................................................... 1 1.2. Project Objectives ................................................................................................................................. 1 1.3. Site History ............................................................................................................................................ 4 1.4. Project Alternatives ............................................................................................................................... 5 1.5. Secretary’s Environmental Assessment Requirements ........................................................................ 7 1.6. Structure of the EIS ............................................................................................................................. 11 1.7. Proponent Details ............................................................................................................................... 12 2. Project Description .............................................................................................................................. 13 2.1. Site and Surrounding Context ............................................................................................................. 13 2.2. Concept Proposal ............................................................................................................................... 15 2.3. Detailed Proposal (Stage 1 Works) .................................................................................................... 17 3. Strategic Context ................................................................................................................................ 19 3.1. Premier’s Priorities .............................................................................................................................. 19 3.2. Greater Sydney Region Plan .............................................................................................................. 19 3.3. Central City District Plan ..................................................................................................................... 19 3.4. Future Transport Strategy 2056 .......................................................................................................... 20 3.5. Our Blacktown 2036 Community Strategic Plan ................................................................................. 20 3.6. Western Sydney Parklands Plan of Management 2030 ..................................................................... 20 4. Statutory Context ................................................................................................................................ 21 4.1. Permissibility ....................................................................................................................................... 21 4.2. Review of Statutory Instruments ......................................................................................................... 27 4.3. Planning Agreements and Developer Contributions ........................................................................... 30 5. Community and Stakeholder Engagement ......................................................................................... 31 6. Environmental Impact Assessment .................................................................................................... 35 6.1. Suitability of the Site ........................................................................................................................... 35 6.2. Traffic and Transport ........................................................................................................................... 36 6.3. Contamination ..................................................................................................................................... 41 6.4. Flooding .............................................................................................................................................. 46 6.5. Hazard and Risk ................................................................................................................................. 48 6.6. Soils and Water ................................................................................................................................... 49 6.7. Biodiversity .......................................................................................................................................... 51 6.8. Infrastructure Requirements ............................................................................................................... 54 6.9. Urban Design and Visual .................................................................................................................... 55 6.10. Heritage .............................................................................................................................................. 61 6.11. Noise and Vibration ............................................................................................................................. 64 6.12. Bushfire ............................................................................................................................................... 66 6.13. Waste .................................................................................................................................................. 68 6.14. Air Quality ........................................................................................................................................... 72 6.15. Construction Impacts .......................................................................................................................... 73 7. Section 4.15 Assessment ................................................................................................................... 74 8. Mitigation Measures ............................................................................................................................ 78 9. Conclusion and Justification ............................................................................................................... 81 Disclaimer 82 URBIS 190731 - ENVIRONMENTAL IMPACT STATEMENT Capital Investment Value Cost Estimate Secretary’s Environmental Assessment Requirements Commonwealth Supplementary Assessment Requirements Site Survey Locality Plan Concept Masterplan Urban Design Guidelines Landscape Plans Contamination Assessment Civil Engineering Report and Drawings Preliminary Construction Management Plan Draft Plan of Subdivision Consultation Report Traffic Impact Assessment Flood Assessment Hazard and Risk Assessment Geotechnical Assessment Biodiversity Development Assessment Report Visual Impact Assessment Aboriginal Cultural Heritage Assessment Non-Aboriginal Heritage Assessment Noise and Vibration Impact Assessment Bushfire Assessment Waste Management Plan Air Quality Impact Assessment FIGURES: Figure 1 - Parklands Precincts (Source: Western Sydney Parklands Authority, 2018) ..................................... 2 Figure 2 – Aerial Photograph 1955 (Source: WSPT) ......................................................................................... 4 Figure 3 – Aerial Photograph 1991 (Source: WSPT) ......................................................................................... 5 Figure 4 – Blacktown LGA Business Hubs (Source: WSPT, 2014) ................................................................... 6 Figure 5 –Site and Local Context (Source: Urbis, 2019) .................................................................................. 14 Figure 6 – Regional Context Plan (Source: Nettleton Tribe Architects, 2019) ................................................. 14 Figure 7 – Concept Masterplan (Source: Nettleton Tribe Architects, 2019) ..................................................... 15 Figure 8 – Artistic Impression (Source: Nettleton Tribe Architects, 2019) ....................................................... 16 Figure 9 – Existing Road Network (Source: Ason Group, 2019) ...................................................................... 37 Figure 10 – Intersection Performance – Existing Conditions (Source: Ason Group, 2019) ............................. 38 Figure 11 – Intersection Performance – 2036 Base Case (Source: Ason Group, 2019) ................................. 38 Figure 12 – Intersection Performance – Project Case