NSW Planning Minister Pru Goward has told a delegation from RAID, the community action group opposed to the plans for a Moorebank intermodal terminal, that their concerns would be carefully considered.
The delegation asked that the minister reject the proposal.
“She seems to have a sympathetic ear to our cause,’’ said one member of the delegation, John Anderson, chairman of RAID.
“We left the meeting with a sense of optimism,’’ he said.
The meeting, held on Tuesday, was also attended by RAID’s Allan Corben and Erik Rakowski.
As well as the minister, also in attendance was her advisor, the NSW Planning director of major infrastructure, two other officials and the State Member for Menai Melanie Gibbons.
The meeting lasted for an hour and a number of subjects were discussed.
“The minister was presented with a summary of our claims why the Moorebank Intermodal cannot possibly work and the two books published by the Traffic Modellers in Chipping Norton,’’ Mr Anderson said.
The meeting was told that submissions in the Moorebank Intermodal Company (MIC) environmental impact statement were now with MIC.
Once the MIC submits its responses to the submissions, it would probably mean that the project would have to be re-exhibited again.
“I reminded the meeting that the health risks for residents who lived as close as 400 metres to the project was a major concern and residents would be facing a much elevated cancer risk,’’ Mr Anderson said.
“I explained that the area had an enormous number of residents with sickness and disabilities and had the highest number of residents with diabetes and a huge number of residents with asthma.
“We explained that Eastern Creek is the prime area for most of the cargo as that is where most warehouses are situated and as such that is where the intermodal should be situated.’’
