The State Government has bowed to fierce local lobbying and promised that a future extension of the South West Rail Link would be run underground at Oran Park and Harrington Park.
“This has been a big win for the Narellan business community on so many levels this morning,’’ said Adriana Care, president of the Greater Narellan Chamber of Commerce.
“The infrastructure to our CBD will attract and support a growing business centre as well as future business viability and strength.
“This is an outcome of lobbying to the State Government and meetings with Chris Patterson [Member for Camden],’’ Ms Care said.
“Many community groups lobbied the State Government following the announcement of the proposed South West Rail Corridor extension, including The Greater Narellan Chamber’s proposal.’’
If the line was built above ground it would have had a major impact on existing homes in Oran Park, the
Anglicare aged care facility, Wildfire Estate, and in particular Harrington Park, where residents had major concerns about the proposed line.
Minister for Transport and Infrastructure Andrew Constance and Member for Camden Chris Patterson jointly announced earlier today that any future extension of the South West Rail Link would be run underground at Oran Park and Harrington Park minimising the impact on new homes.
Mr Constance said with the new airport being constructed and more than 300,000 new residents expected to call South West Sydney home in the next 30 years, planning was under way now for a future rail line to support the growing region.
“While construction on a rail line is not expected to start for some years, even decades, we need to do the planning now to make sure we can build this crucial infrastructure more efficiently and cost effectively when it’s needed,” Mr Constance said.
“Earlier this year the NSW Government carried out detailed consultation with the community to help refine corridor options for a future rail extension between Leppington and Narellan.
“While work is still continuing to refine the future corridor, we are pleased to announce that the final recommended corridor will include an underground alignment between Oran Park and north of Narellan.
Mr Patterson said during the consultation period, the community raised a number of concerns about the proposed future corridor running through new homes at Oran Park and Harrington Park.
“The communities of Oran Park and Harrington Park are growing rapidly, and I’m pleased the government has agreed to go underground for this part of the corridor preservation,” Mr Patterson said.
“This is a great outcome for these communities and will come as a relief for many new homeowners who are building or have just moved into their homes in the Oran Park and Harrington Park areas.”
The NSW Government will be consulting with the community in early 2016 on the next stages of the project, including corridor options for an extension of the future rail line south of Narellan, and north to the T1 Main Western Line at St Marys, as part of the Outer Sydney Orbital consultation.
A recommended corridor for the rail extension will be finalised in late 2016.
“This is not an easy task – the transport planners need to consider a range of issues, including the technical and environmental constraints needed for a rail corridor as well as the impact on existing and future communities,” Mr Constance said.
“Local knowledge is vital to getting this future transport corridor right and I’d like to thank residents for all their feedback to date.”
