C13 Urban design and visual amenity Contents C13 Urban design and visual amenity This chapter addresses issues raised in community submissions associated with the urban design and visual amenity assessment for the M4-M5 Link Environmental Impact Statement (EIS). Refer to Chapter 13 (Urban design and visual amenity), Appendix L (Technical working paper: Urban design) and Appendix O (Technical working paper: Landscape and visual impact) of the EIS for further detail on the urban design and visual amenity assessment. Contents C13 Urban design and visual amenity ........................................................................................ C13-i Contents ............................................................................................................................ C13-i C13.1 Level and quality of the landscape and visual impact assessment ......................... C13-1 C13.1.1 Concerns regarding the quality of the landscape and visual impact assessment ............................................................................................ C13-1 C13.2 Visual impacts during construction ........................................................................ C13-5 C13.2.1 Visual impacts during construction (general)........................................... C13-5 C13.2.2 Visual impacts during construction (specific locations) ............................ C13-8 C13.2.3 Lighting from construction ancillary facilities, vehicles and equipment (general) ............................................................................................................ C13-11 C13.3 Landscape character impacts during operation ................................................... C13-13 C13.3.1 Landscape character impacts (general) ................................................ C13-13 C13.3.2 Landscape character impacts (specific locations) ................................. C13-14 C13.4 Visual impact during operation ............................................................................ C13-17 C13.4.1 General visual impacts from the project ................................................ C13-17 C13.4.2 Visual impacts around Darley Road ...................................................... C13-19 C13.4.3 Visual impacts around the Rozelle interchange..................................... C13-20 C13.4.4 Visual impacts around the Iron Cove Link ............................................. C13-23 C13.4.5 Visual Impacts from directional and variable signage ............................ C13-24 C13.5 Urban design and landscaping at Wattle Street at Haberfield .............................. C13-25 C13.5.1 Urban design and landscaping at the Wattle Street interchange ........... C13-25 C13.6 Urban design and landscaping at Rozelle interchange ........................................ C13-25 C13.6.1 Urban design around Rozelle interchange and surrounding surface work . C13- 25 C13.7 Urban design around the Iron Cove Link and surrounds ...................................... C13-28 C13.7.1 Urban design and landscaping around Iron Cove Link .......................... C13-28 C13.8 Urban design and landscaping impacts - general ................................................ C13-29 C13.8.1 General urban design considerations ................................................... C13-29 C13.9 Safety and crime prevention through design ........................................................ C13-31 C13.9.1 Safety and crime prevention through design ......................................... C13-31 C13.10 Active transport connectivity................................................................................ C13-32 C13.10.1 Active transport connectivity ................................................................. C13-32 C13.11 Cumulative urban design and visual amenity ....................................................... C13-40 C13.11.1 Removal of trees from multiple projects ................................................ C13-40 WestConnex – M4-M5 Link Submissions and preferred infrastructure report C13-i C13 Urban design and visual amenity Contents C13.12 Urban design and visual amenity environmental management measures ............ C13-40 C13.12.1 Urban design and visual amenity environmental management measures.. C13- 40 WestConnex – M4-M5 Link Submissions and preferred infrastructure report C13-ii C13 Urban design and visual amenity C13.1 Level and quality of the landscape and visual impact assessment C13.1 Level and quality of the landscape and visual impact assessment 396 submitters raised concerns about the quality of the landscape and visual impact assessment. Refer to section 13.1 of the EIS for details of the landscape and visual impact assessment methodology. C13.1.1 Concerns regarding the quality of the landscape and visual impact assessment Submitters raised concerns about the quality and level of the landscape and visual impact assessment for the project. Specific concerns relate to: · The level of assessment is flawed and subjective · The Urban Design and Landscape Plan (UDLP) should be part of the EIS to ensure that it is produced and that it is consistent with what the EIS proposes · The community has no opportunity to comment on the urban design of the project as they are only concept plans · The EIS does not justify the project on an urban design basis · The EIS does not assess the visual impacts of the ventilation outlets on surrounding development · Easton Park needs to be assessed from a visual design point as it will be dominated by a large ventilation outlet · The EIS has not conducted an assessment of potential visual impact to residents on Lilyfield Road · Potential night lighting impacts during construction have not adequately been assessed, including at the Darley Road civil and tunnel site (C4) · Lighting outcomes for facilities and residual open space should be identified in the EIS so that the lighting impact on sensitive receivers can be assessed · Increase of light during night hours has not been properly addressed around the Rozelle Rail Yards and The Crescent · Active transport routes along Victoria Road and Whites Creek are designed indicatively as the construction is still decided upon by the construction contractor · Artist’s impressions of the open space in the EIS are not based on reality and have changed during the development of the project · There are insufficient proposals for Haberfield/Ashfield and the project does not integrate with other EIS proposals · The EIS fails to assess existing or potential bicycle routes as part of project · The proposed active transport infrastructure lacks detail · Haberfield and surrounding areas of Five Dock and Ashfield have been overlooked with regards to urban design and community connectivity. Response Quality of the landscape and visual impact assessment The EIS, including the landscape character and visual impact assessment provided in Appendix O (Technical working paper: Landscape and visual impact) and the Urban design report provided in Appendix L (Technical working paper: Urban design) of the EIS, was prepared by a team of qualified professionals and is consistent with the key issues identified in the Secretary’s Environmental Assessment Requirements (SEARs), which included requirements issued by key government regulatory agencies as well as industry standards and guidelines. WestConnex – M4-M5 Link Submissions and preferred infrastructure report C13-1 C13 Urban design and visual amenity C13.1 Level and quality of the landscape and visual impact assessment The assessment of landscape character and visual amenity impacts is also consistent with the Environmental Impact Assessment Practice Note: Guidelines for Landscape Character and Visual Impact Assessment (NSW Roads and Maritime Services (Roads and Maritime) 2013b). The methodology comprised two components: an urban design process and a landscape character and visual impact assessment. To assess landscape character impact, landscape character zones (LCZ) were identified in the study area. The landscape character zones are defined as areas of landscape with similar properties or strongly defined spatial qualities that are visually distinct from adjoining areas. LCZs were focused around areas of proposed surface work where permanent operational infrastructure would be located. The desired future character for each of the LCZs was drawn from the objectives and controls/provisions set out in relevant strategic and statutory planning documents, and considered as part of the landscape character impact assessment and the urban design principles developed for the project. To assess visual impact, existing views were identified based on a range of criteria, including: · Where there is potential for a significant change between the before and after view · Where there is potential for a significant adverse visual outcome for sensitive receivers · Where there is potential for a significant adverse visual outcome to locations of high visual amenity · Where there is potential for a significant adverse visual outcome to heritage listed items or Heritage Conservation Areas (HCAs) · Where the view is representative of other similar settings, in which there was potential for a similar adverse outcome, for example, on the character of a streetscape. Areas where permanent operational infrastructure is proposed have been reviewed against the urban design principles developed for the project, which are outlined in Table 13-2 of the EIS. The outcome of this assessment is provided in Table 13-23